Sirène: HCW
by Sokai
Summary: /WITCH/H2O: Just Add Water X'Over, kinda/ Three very distinct young women, all hailing from equally distinct walks of life, unavoidably come together the moment an inexplicable event changes they and their formerly separate lives forever. . . .
1. Prologue Teaser

**Sirè****ne: HCW**

**By: Sokai**

**Disclaimer: **I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave _that_ honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Australian television program, "H2O: Just Add Water," created by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions (even though this story's only inspired by said show, not an official crossover). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series.

Note:_ Woo! My Muse is SO in love with me right now, I swear! Which kinda sux, since nope, still don't have a new computer. But right now, I'm taking advantage and posting my latest story that had come to me, thanks to my Muse. For further updates on each story I already have up, please check out my profile (as I expect I SHOULD, don't quote me on this, be updating quite a few of your favorites, since, again, my Muse loves me again. LoL). I'm sure some of you have caught it on TV on and off, but if you haven't it won't matter to understand/get into this story. I got inspired by that Australian show, "H2O" (which I watch/like automatically, mainly cuz it deals with mermaids, which I love to death LoL). For more info on/about the show, definitely Wikipedia it (so I won't take up space here explaining it). Just know, for now, it deals with three chickies "somehow" turning into mermaids, and will do so "forever" any time they get wet, within seconds, etc. Same basic premise here in this story of mine, save I've changed quite a bit of things the show's already established for itself, and am going more "historically" (as it were, since mermaids technically don't exist) based._

_Oh, and know that the three lucky Guardians I've chosen to be mermaids are Hay Lin, Cornelia, and Will (hence the fic being called "HCW," as sort of a "dumb," LoL, play on "H2O."). If you wanna know why I chose them, ask me in review and I'll gladly tell ya!_

_Till then, read on!_

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This story/chapter was created in July 2008.

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Gone are the days of old, when it had been the _Sun_ to primarily govern over all with its blessed light . . . when the land, having been bestowed with its glorious illumination, was no longer barren and began to breed forth new life onto all accumulated creatures.

Yes. Gone are the days of old, all those ages ago, when the _impossible_ had become _possible_.

When, having felt great pity as well as kindness towards the grand sea that had continued to remain vacant in contrast to the now thriving land, the Blessed Sun had ushered forth into the brilliant new world, the world's very first _mermaid_. . . .

**-- End of Prologue Teaser**

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**(A.N. OMG. VERY short, I know. LoL For some reason, even though I've got the rest of this new fic's plot entirety all sorted out from now until the end, just about, the very-very opener stumped me. LoL The first chapter's no sweat, but the prologue, I couldn't think of anything – Hence it being a "teaser." LoL So, I figured I'd just get inspiration from "The Legend of Echra" for it. So, yeah. Don't own that, either. LoL Still don't have a new computer yet, and am using my sister's laptop right now – which I don't/wouldn't expect to be able to use on a readily basis, out of respect – so I don't know when next I'll update this or any other story. But obviously, if I'm on your alerts, you'll know, and will hopefully be pleasantly pleased. LoL So, please, do review this, EVEN though it's deathly short, I know. Next update'll be longer, as always from me.)**


	2. Chapter One

**Sirène: HCW**

**By: Sokai**

**Disclaimer: **I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave _that_ honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Australian television program, "H2O: Just Add Water," created by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions (even though this story's only inspired by said show, not an official crossover). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series.

Note: _Know why I like yooze guys? You're all always so very supportive and informative about any/all stories I post on here (even if the openers are like, a second long LoL). I know I've said it before, but I truly do appreciate it!_

_Now, if anyone is interested in watching the actual show (either to get a better understanding from where I'd drawn my inspiration for this story, or to just get to know the show, period), I can put a link for you to watch every episode online, if you'd like._

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This story/chapter was created in July 2008.

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i **Chapter**** One** i

"C'mon, you. Don't be like this -- _Yet_ again, I might add. You do this nearly _every_ morning! Just relax, all right? I know high school blows like, something _fierce_, but we're nearly half way finished within our career! So, _screw_ Elyon Brown, got it? Toughen up, leave that bedroom of yours -- _Finally_ -- walk out that door, and meet me at our usual spot so we can walk the rest of the way to campus together, 'kay? Or else we'll be late, _again!_"

Asian American Lin Hay Lin let out a soft, although drawn out exhale of melancholy, absentmindedly tugging upon one of her long, glossy black pigtails as she remained seated upon her plush-like, soft green colored bed and continued to listen to her new, although already close friend, Alchemy Selwyn's daily lecture over her cellphone.

As the mahogany haired girl on the other end had just pointed out, it was nearly time for Hay Lin to leave for their school, Heatherfield High School, making the both of them at risk of being marked tardy by their respective teachers; however, she still remained seated, for all the reasons her sometimes too forceful companion had pointed out just moments before.

"Y'know, I hate it when you're right, Al," the saffron hued teenager mumbled into her receiver, rolling her warm chocolate colored eyes heavenward for added effect.

"Doesn't make it any less than pure, unadulterated fact, Kiddo. Ever since you moved back home with your folks two months ago and started school here, it's like you've totally lost your confidence and completely forgotten what an absolutely _boss,_ near-celebrity you are! And for what? All because you're scared to tell that bimbo where to go?"

_Hmm, she got me there, I guess_, Hay Lin thought with another saddened exhale, rubbing her forehead vigorously for a couple moments, before abruptly standing up. _And to think, I actually __wanted__ to have a normal, regular teenage kind of life by coming back home from France to live with my parents again. . . ._

It was almost frightening how nearly unrecognizable Hay Lin had become to herself in such a short amount of time. In just a couple week's time, since the start of her sophomore year, she had transformed from being the confident, vibrant and bubbly individual she had always been all of her life, and into an increasingly insecure, second guessing, pitiful mass.

_Yep. I am now __definitely__ and officially a regular, typical teenager, then_, the raven haired gifted girl mused with a tiny simper, bending over to pick up the multicolored backpack that she had designed and made, herself.

That was what Hay Lin was all about, for as long as she could remember. If it had anything to do with fashion or art design, one could be rest assured that she would almost assuredly excel at it instantly. Which was why, since the age of twelve, the grotesquely talented teenager had been away from home, living in Dijon, France, studying painting and fashion design at one of the most prestigious art schools worldwide and one of many located in France, _École Nationale des Beaux Arts_, or the "School of Fine Arts."

To say that both of her parents, Lin Chen and Lin Joan were extremely proud of their prodigal-like daughter would have been a gross understatement, especially once the three of them had learned that not only had Hay Lin earned herself a full scholarship to attend such a renowned establishment, but was also the youngest one to do so in its history.

And while she was more than happy as well as eager to follow her dream and accomplish what quite few around her age at the time have, after a while Hay Lin began to grow homesick for the family and old life she'd left behind back in Heatherfield, California, where she and her family have lived since she was four-years-old.

So when she had turned fifteen last June, having completed what would have been the equivalent of her freshman year in high school, technically speaking, Hay Lin had decided to at last return home to the states and finish the remainder of her high school years, within a normal, much slower paced environment, before returning back to Dijon to continue on in her professionally artist studies.

She was happy to be back, back with her parents and, whenever she could, helping them run the new Chinese restaurant they had just opened the previous summer, the Silver Dragon (which was where the both of them were at that very moment, doing inventory checks), just a couple blocks away from the new house they had also acquired that same summer. She enjoyed seeing how ecstatic it made them both to have their only child there with them again, and she was very much proud of the success they have already generated for themselves with their new business.

Hay Lin had always known, even when she was a little girl, how much it had always been her father's dream to strike out on his own and have his own establishment, rather than continue working in _other_ people's restaurants as he always had for years, helping each of _them_ realize their _own_ aspirations.

And as for her mother, Joan, who had always been a bit on the strict side, at least more so than her husband, Hay Lin was quite positive that this was a _shared_ dream, as well, as _she_ had always been rather good with organization and keeping cool under pressure, thus becoming the head manager and accountant for the restaurant.

Yes. Things had never been better for the Lin family, all three of them doing what they truly loved without restriction . . . at least, that was how it _used_ to be, anyway.

Hay Lin didn't have the heart to let her parents know how emotionally conflicted, and even a bit isolated she was steadily beginning to feel the longer she was back, and so put on a bright, sunshine-like face, that used to be sincere, whenever she was within their presence.

She kept telling herself that things would get better, and that she was only feeling homesick, and a bit intimidated at her new school, being that she had enrolled a year later than the majority of people within her graduating class. But she could no longer deny how much she missed her old life, the multitude of very unique, very diverse friends she'd made back in Dijon, and even the slight celebrity status, as Alchemy had previously pointed out, she had achieved for herself over there due to her young age, yet grand talent.

Over _here_, however, only perhaps a handful of people knew of her success and works of art she had already managed to have auctioned to various collectors from many a different country, even _with_ the mini assembly dedicated in her honor on her first day of school . . . something she had been a little bit enthusiastic about at first, but as that same day wore on, regretted immensely.

Because it had been that very assembly that had set the wheels of Fate in motion and wholeheartedly against her, as nearly every student she had tried to interact with and befriend on that day and beyond had essentially blackballed her from the start.

As with nearly every other high school, popularity is everything, and those who did not possess it ferociously wished that they did, coveting it immensely, while those who _did_ habitually wielded its power over everyone else as they saw fit.

And that was precisely what a certain tall, voluptuous blonde haired girl and her nearly identical "twin," and also blonde best friend had done.

Cornelia Hale and Elyon Brown, the Queen and Princess of Heatherfield High, respectfully -- Of Heatherfield, period, quite actually, had made absolute certain to pass along their latest decree of many, Hay Lin was pretty sure, that stated that "anyone caught talking to or associating with the new girl would be _severely_ branded a loser forever, and the remainder of their high school career made a living _nightmare_."

At least, that's what Hay Lin had understood it to have been said, according to Alchemy, who'd heard it from her on-and-off-again friends, the dual redheads, Bess and Courtney Grumper.

"And _trust_ me, if anyone would know about the latest gossip, high school-related or otherwise, it'd be the Grumper Sisters -- _Especially_ if it has to do with the Ice Queen and Drama Princess," Alchemy had told her the following day after Hay Lin's first, also the same day that the two had met, during gym class, a subject that Hay Lin most definitely did _not_ naturally excel at.

When Hay Lin had asked the periwinkle-eyed girl why she would be willing to chance social expulsion by collaborating with her, she simply shrugged, smiled, and replied, "What can I say? I'm a rebel."

And the two had been friends, hanging out together and sleeping over each other's houses every other weekend every since. Hay Lin was very thankful to have at least _one_ companion to help her cope with the ostracizing feeling she had to endure on nearly a day to day basis, even if she still wanted _more_ than just the one friend in her corner, the way that she would have back in Dijon.

And of course, she supposed it didn't hurt Alchemy much, either, to be friends with someone who was practically a genius when it came to creating or designing her own clothing, as, besides music, Alchemy was ecstatically into fashion -- At least, of the retro-chic, "out of this world" variety, anyhow.

Hay Lin planned on making the talented musician her very own dress, unique and special only to her, as bit of a dual birthday present (being that Alchemy had informed her that her birthday was on September 23rd, which was only a couple of weeks away) and "Thank You" for already being such a good and loyal friend.

First things first, however; she had to leave the house and get to class, before she really _was_ marked late again!

". . . . Hello? Lin? Are you even _listening_ to me, anymore?" Hay Lin could hear the girl in question inquire with a distinctly urgent, confused air over the other end of the cellphone, jerking the dark haired girl out of her miniature daydream.

"H-Huh? O-Oh, yeah, Al, of course I am, and you're absolutely right like I said, for sure!" she lied, trying to sound convincing as she forced a confident smile she knew the other teenager could not see, while draping her backpack over her left shoulder.

"Good. Because it's high time that you realize and understand that that blonde twit's only popular because she piggybacks upon her _equally_ fair haired twit of a best friend, _Cornelia's_ success in making anyone who isn't big bust-implanted, _blonde_, a _cheerleader_, or affiliated in _some_ form of 'high society' feel like little, decadent servant people," Alchemy firmly commented with a small scoff, before, as it sounded like to Hay Lin, taking a bite out of an apple. "They view you as a threat, Lin. Because you are new, _and_ have more talent in your little _pinky,_ than the _both_ of them have within their entire _bodies_. I'm sure Elyon mainly put Cornelia up to 'banishing' you from social grace all because everyone knows that Elyon is the big 'Hot Shot' on campus with her drawing capabilities. Well, at least, she _used_ to be, anyway, until _you_ blew into town. _I_ say it's about time someone rattled those two girls' prim and pristine self-appointed pedestals a bit. Now, c'mon. I'm already at the spot. See you in a bit!"

Before Hay Lin could respond, Alchemy had already hung up the phone, leaving her with a first, real genuine smile upon her face she'd had that morning.

"Thanks, Al. You always know what to say to make me feel a bit like the old me again," she murmured gently to herself after closing her own cellphone and stuffing it into her pocket, turning to gaze at her reflection in the full length mirror she'd propped up against her still bare wall (something she planned to remedy, once she gained more time to do so, as her new bedroom was far too bland and relatively barren for her unique taste).

She quickly gave herself a once-over, admiring, for the first time that morning since having put it on, the ensemble of a powder blue, one shoulder shirt and black colored cargo pants she'd also both designed.

Running a hand over her glossy, raven tinted hair, Hay Lin gave a firm nod and strengthened smile at her mimicking reflection.

"Right. You can do this, Hay. Those girls _are_ only jealous of you, and you've _nothing_ to worry about," she stated with renewed confidence, turning on her heel to head towards her sealed bedroom door. "Yep. Today is the start of something new. I can _feel_ it."

**-- End of Chapter One**

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**(Ohhh, I know. "That's it?" Yeah, right now, anyway. LoL This chapter didn't like me in terms of organization, I can tell you that much. From the time I'd posted the prologue up to right now, I had been trying like mad to make it work, which frustrated me all the more because I had it all in my head just perfectly. But try putting it on paper? Nope. No go. 'Till now, anyway. LoL I still hate it, but what can you do? I was going to and always meant to go behind this scene and write what happens next, but besides figuring this new 'world' I've established for Hay Lin was overwhelming enough that you all might need to readjust and get used to it -- AND completely forget about the canon world we all know about in regards to her LoL – it's been a constant struggle to keep/use this computer for longer than five minutes, as my DAD keeps 'using' it every second of every day. And by 'use,' I just mean, sitting there with it open, but keeps wandering about the house doing other crap instead. Plus, I might be going to FL next Sunday, so trying to update with chapter two might be an even bigger chore before then. So if I don't get to, I'm sincerely sorry. Anyway, I always wanted to write a story that featured Alchemy, either as the main character, or supporting, but a bigger role than what she had been given on the show. She just stuck out to me and had a lot of potential. And while she will be a tad OOC – as with the majority of the other characters in here, if only for a little while, anyway – I'm sure you'll all still enjoy her presence. LoL Oh, and since I don't think she was ever given a last name, I gave her one, which, as I understand it, essentially means "friend," which, as you can clearly see, is what she is to poor little Hay Lin. LoL Anyhow! As always, I thank you all, again, for taking immediate interest in this story, even though the prologue didn't really say much!)**


	3. Chapter Two

**Sirène: HCW**

**By: Sokai**

**Disclaimer: **I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave _that_ honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Australian television program, "H2O: Just Add Water," created by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions (even though this story's only inspired by said show, not an official crossover). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series.

Note: _Woo! Two for two! Just posted chapter one, and already most of you are "entranced" by it. Rock it, rock it. :Dances: LoL Anyway, uh, originally, I had planned on making this next chapter the continuation of what I WOULD'VE put in chapter one. That is, still focused upon Hay Lin and her school day and meeting up with Alchemy. But being that I later (obviously) plan on making her meet Will and Cornelia "officially" later on, as well, blah blah, I thought that I might want to at least get Will's "new" bio out of the way before I do that. Cornelia's bio I don't/won't plan on "unveiling" for at least a little while longer -- It's just essential. Oh, and speaking of Corny, I see I already have some of you "scared" about her, and whether I'm gonna torture you by keeping her so monstrously b.tchy as she apparently is. I don't know. LoL Don't like the girl, no, as we ALL know by now about me, but I never let my personal feelings for her seep into my stories (well, maybe kinda in my Royal Guardian fic, but so what, damn it? LoL). And while Heatherfield has always looked like it's in Maine or somewhere in the upper East Coast to me, for THIS story, at least, I made it situated within California, only for the whole beach/far warmer weather than Maine would have alloted, which is important for the whole mermaid aspect I'll later implement, etc. Think that's all I needed to address for now. _

_Enjoy Will's intro!_

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This story/chapter was created/written in July 2008.

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i** Chapter Two **i

Wilhelmina "Will" Vandom-Collins took a deep, elongated breath after first securely fitting her white tinted swimming goggles over her molasses colored eyes, and placing her equally white colored swim cap over her brilliantly red, shoulder length hair, before expertly diving into the crystalline, empty Olympic-sized swimming pool housed inside of Heatherfield Recreational Center a couple blocks away from her loft.

Her best friend of two years, Taranee Cook, smiled gently as she stood by the pool's edge, yellow stopwatch in hand, as she had just then quickly hit the start button to begin timing the redhead's swift trek through the water. Even though it was a week day, which meant having to go to school, the two companions nonetheless went straight to the Recreational Center to practice swimming, as they always did bright and early each morning.

Well, _Will_ went there to practice her swimming, not Taranee, as the aforementioned girl was a very skilled competitive swimmer for the last six years now, dominating regional after regional, taking first place in every event that she would compete within.

In fact, it was how the two close compatriots had met. It was nearing the end of the eighth grade, and Taranee and her family had spent the weekend visiting relatives where she used to live, in Sesamo, a neighboring city to Heatherfield, California, where she now currently lived since the sixth grade.

She fondly recalled not wishing to go at all, for the sole purpose of wishing to complete the mathematical "Brain Buster" that her teacher had given to her for extra credit (although it really hadn't been needed, given that she was quite the "math whiz" and excelled at it pretty easily by nature).

That, and because their family visit would have entailed having to deal with her stuck up cousin, Naila, who was the same age as she.

_But if it hadn't been for her, ironically, Will and I might never have been friends_, Taranee mused with a growing simper, continuing to divide her attention between the active stopwatch clutched firmly within her right hand, and the girl in question's nimble progress within the water.

It was true. The entire family, both Taranee's as well as Naila's, had all ventured out to watch Naila compete within her last swim meet of the season, against her school's rival team from Fadden Hills, which was about two hours away from Sesamo and six and a half from Heatherfield, Will had once informed the brown-eyed girl of during the budding stages of their newfound friendship.

It was always neat to Taranee to think of how close in proximity the two girls had been, the entire time the both of them used to live in Sesamo and Fadden Hills, respectfully, and that both their old schools had been rivals.

How she could have never known that throughout the years she had lived there was of no surprise to her, however, as the only sport she truly paid attention to was basketball, and _that_ team's steady opponent had been Meyerstown, she could recollect, not Fadden Hills.

Regardless, because it _hadn't_ been a basketball game she had been attending that brilliantly bright, typically sunny California day, it had taken nearly all of the intellectual girl's willpower to remain awake, let alone focused upon the meet and at least _try_ to support her obnoxious cousin.

However, the moment she'd heard the announcer say her relative's name alongside another's she would later always recognize to be that of Will's, Taranee suddenly felt a bit compelled to at last pay proper attention to the meet.

Something about Will's name had seemed familiar to her, almost significant, as though someone she already knew had passed mention to it in the past. And Taranee couldn't put her finger on it as to why, not until she saw the redhead in action, that is.

With minimal to no disrespect to her cousin, Naila simply hadn't stood a right good chance against the other girl, and neither had the other swimmers competing alongside them within that event, because as soon as the gun had fired off, signaling the start of the race, Will had become a massive blur, moving through the water like an ironic streak of lightning, already nearly halfway through the vast pool and close to the end, leaving her opponents within the proverbial dust.

She had effortlessly secured first place that day, of course, succeeding in souring Naila's mood, especially, for the remainder of that weekend, as she had apparently been planning on "doing the _seemingly_ impossible and beating 'Will the Invincible,'" a nickname that Will had earned for herself over the years throughout her swimming career.

"Didn't I tell you she was awesome, T? I'm _telling_ you, don't be surprised if you see that girl on the cover of cereal boxes one day in the near future," Taranee's older and only brother, Peter, had gushed in extremely impressed awe, standing from his seat next to her on the bleachers, applauding enthusiastically with the rest of their family and crowd for each of the competing swimmers, but especially for Will, she could tell.

So _that_ was why the girl's name had seemed so familiar to Taranee! Her brother _must_ have passed mention to her once or twice in the past, although clearly she could and did not recall, again, most likely due to the fact that both Will and the topic, itself, were non-basketball related. However, being that Peter is an avid surfer and regularly worked out to help better hone in on his talents by swimming, himself, it was no wonder he would have known about her.

It was becoming painfully clear, by that time to Taranee, how apparently well renowned this young girl already was at such a young age.

It was both a mixture of pure curiosity and intrigue, as well as wishing to attempt to give sincere condolences to her now brooding cousin that Taranee was one of the many people -- Admirers and fans, she was quite certain -- who had then rushed down from the bleachers and swarmed around Will, who was busy drying off and pulling her swimming goggles from off of her face over by the rest of her victorious swim team.

She had begun to wonder what she was going to say to the redhead once she'd made her way over to her, after first finished congratulating Naila on a job well done, when Will seemed to have read her thoughts, thus saving her the trouble as she'd begun walking over to Taranee and the rest of her family.

"I just wanted to say that was a good race -- You did _great_ out there," Taranee had listened to the swimming wonder speak for the very first time with a broad, sincere smile, pulling off her blue colored swim cap with one hand and revealing her stunning, bob-short, red hair, while extending her other out to the now repulsed Naila.

Taranee had half expected this girl to be just as snobbish as Naila, in truth, given her apparently high status within the swimming world; however, was quite surprised as well as amazed by the great conduct of good sportsmanship she currently enacted.

_Naila_, on the other hand, hadn't seemed to want to return the favor, for she merely let an abrupt, bruised scoff, rolled her gray eyes, and walked away, both her immediate family and Taranee's parents swiftly following after her, to both console and reprimand her for her rudeness.

". . . . H-Hey, there. Sorry about that. Our cousin Naila can be a little . . . _high-strung_," Peter, who had stayed behind with his sister, had taken it upon himself to explain their cousin's distasteful, although not uncommon behavior. Both he and Will smiled weakly at one another, understanding the hidden meaning within his words, before she spoke again.

"That's all right. _Actually_, while her reaction isn't anything new for me, it _was_ pretty much one of the most _civil_ I've gotten from fellow competitors I've beaten in the past and tried to congratulate for having a good race," she had revealed, her smile strengthening a bit as she watched and listened to Peter chuckle lightly in response.

"Yeah, I get that a lot, myself, whenever me and my basketball team _demolish_ our opponents -- Which, don't kid yourself, is exactly what _you_ just did to every swimmer out there in that race today, _including_ our cousin," he remarked in kind, grinning in amusement as both he and Taranee had watched Will begin to blush furiously at this, her naturally tawny hued complexion increasingly matching the tint of her hair.

Taranee, herself, couldn't help but smile broadly at the sight, as she had then realized that not only did this talented swimmer seem to be pretty down to earth, but was quite modest about her gift, as well. A relief, to say the least, given that if there was one thing Taranee could not stand, it was those who were far too full of themselves -- Hence why she and Naila never could get along.

Seeming to have forgotten that his little sister had been there with the two athletes for a moment, Peter had then suddenly wrapped a strong arm around her neck in affection, nearly causing her broad, round eyeglasses to fall off of her mocha hued face in the process.

"This quiet, but ever-thoughtful girl here, would be my kid sis, Taranee, and _my_ name is Peter. Peter Cook," he had gaily introduced, making Taranee be the next to blush ferociously at the abrupt shift in focused attention.

The two girls had locked eyes for first time, smiling a bit awkwardly at one another for a few moments, before Will had been the first to pipe up.

"It's nice to meet you, Taranee -- You too, Peter. I'm Will Vandom, although I'm sure you already knew that, duh. N-Not to say that I'm just assuming everyone everywhere knows about me, though! I just meant that --"

"-- Because your name had been announced before _and_ after your event, yeah, we got it, Will, no worries," Peter had gently interrupted, saving the fumbling girl further embarrassment.

Will had awarded Taranee's brother another broad grin right then, giggling in appreciation.

"Right, exactly! Thanks, Peter. So . . . since you both were here to support your cousin, I'm assuming you _also_ live here in Sesamo, right?"

Peter had shaken his traditionally dreadlock-riddled head at this, releasing Taranee from his gentle hold.

"Nah. Well, _technically_, yes, we used to, up until a couple years ago after 'Ranee, here, had finished the sixth grade. Then we moved over to Heatherfield, which is about five hours and thirty minutes away from here, I believe. So it's quite the drive to come back up here," he replied, stuffing both of his slightly calloused hands into the pockets of his jeans.

At this, Will's eyes had, for reasons momentarily unknown to both Cook siblings, widened, another generous smile forming upon her flawless countenance.

"_Really??_ That's so weird! Because my mother and I are moving there at the end of this summer!" she had delivered with great vigor, excitedly shifting her weight from one, moist barefoot to the other. "At first, I was kind of bummed to be leaving Fadden Hills, as I've never lived anywhere else before and would be leaving behind my friends, but now that I've actually met a couple of people who live in Heatherfield, too, I don't suppose it will be as bad, anymore! I'm going to Heatherfield High School next year, Taranee; is that the same school you're in, too?"

Taranee remembered that her cheeks had then began to hurt, she had been smiling that hard and big upon learning that her prospective new friend would be attending the same high school as she.

"Yes, I am! But I don't already, though, Will. I mean, I guess I'm in the same grade as you right now, eighth," she had revealed to the ecstatic girl, sharing in the sentiment.

"Well, then, I guess it looks like you two ladies have each made a new friend, now doesn't it?" Peter had queried, smiling knowingly at the two girls, before the three had to part ways, as Will had, at that moment, been beckoned back over to her teammates by her coach, and Taranee and Peter's family had done the same to them.

_And I suppose that Peter had been right within his assumptions, because Will and I have been friends ever since_, the African American young teenager thoughtfully reflected with another attached smile at the fading memory, just in time to watch the rocket-like swimmer already approach her and touch the wall of the pool.

Taranee simultaneously clicked the button on the stopwatch, looking down to see that it read one minute, thirty flat, a time she knew that her friend would be very pleased to witness, as it meant that Will had managed to shave off five seconds from the last time she had practiced the two-hundred meter freestyle a couple days ago.

Crouching down, Taranee wordlessly tilted the stopwatch in front of Will's goggled face, beginning to chuckle the moment she saw the other girl gasp and promptly grin in elation.

"_Yes!_ That's even better than _last_ time!" she affirmed her glee, slamming her free, balled up fist, in emphasis, against the cool, sparkling water she was now wading in. "I'm _telling_ you, Rae! John Jay's not going to know what hit 'em come next week's meet!"

Taranee playfully rolled her brown eyes at this, after wincing a bit over having gotten wet from her friend's celebratory splashing.

"As is always the case with _any_ swim team who competes against 'Will the Invincible,'" she lightheartedly teased, gingerly taking a seat upon the ground and next to the pool's edge, careful not to fall in. "Then again, it's more like they really just show _up_ to the meet, and then wait to get beaten, more than it is actually '_competing_.' You keep this up, and you will be competing within the next Summer Olympics!"

Will grinned proudly upon hearing this, knowing full well how true those words were, with all of the avid hard work she'd put in over the years to be as good as she was.

"Maybe, but first, I gotta take care of John Jay!" she confidently remarked, sticking out her tongue at her best friend in good humor before pulling herself out of the pool.

"Hmm, I'm beginning to wonder where that formerly modest girl I'd met the summer before Freshman year had gone to," Taranee mocked, rising from her spot once more and standing next to the slightly taller girl a moment, before beginning to walk away from her. "Lemme go see if I can't find traces _of_ that modesty somewhere within your duffel bag, huh?"

Will giggled softly to herself, watching the other girl make her way over to where they'd placed Will's belongings in the close distance. Her smile softened some, as her mind began to wander and reflect upon how much Taranee had changed over the last two years they had known one another, yet all the while stayed the same.

She still remembered it as though it had just happened yesterday, the day they had first met, during her last swim meet for her team back in Fadden Hills where she used to live, before moving to Heatherfield with her mother and, at the time, soon to be new stepfather, Dean Collins, who had acquired a new teaching job over there.

She could recall how shy and reserved the raven haired girl had been, seemingly embarrassed to have been put on the spot by her older and cool brother, Peter, when he'd unexpectedly introduced he and herself to Will.

In truth, the redhead was relieved that Taranee didn't seem to be anything like her cousin, Nala, Naila, or whatever she was called, who had been quite uncouth and almost savage-like towards her when Will had tried to extend proper and respectful athletic conduct towards her. For, while she tended to be just as timid as Taranee had been on that day, or at least, _used_ to be more so when she was younger, Will also possessed quite the fierce temper (yet another thing the two shared in common), and would not have been able to tolerate any further blatant disrespect from Taranee's cousin, or even Taranee, herself, had it turned out the girl had indeed unfortunately taken after the rude relative.

Thankfully, however, the chocolate hued girl turned out to be one of the nicest, most trustworthy people Will had ever met, which was saying a lot, given that she had always had a string of bad luck in regards to acquiring and holding onto true, reliable friends in the past.

She was either always lied to or betrayed in some way by each of them, for a multitude of reasons (although most stemming from her slightly prestigious status as a star athlete, and the desire to exploit that), which resulted in leaving the otherwise generally confident and friendly girl drastically scarred emotionally, and caused her to automatically keep an appropriated distance from nearly everyone she met (including her own father, Thomas, who'd tried to take advantage of her success).

Everyone, that is, except Taranee, who was also the only person within Will's life to truly know every facet to her personality, including the parts of her that was sometimes insecure, and always wary of other people's intentions. And while it had been painful and quite difficult for her to finally admit all of this to her, Taranee never once judged her, or tried to patronize her with seemingly helpful tips on how to get over it all and move on.

She just seemed to understand that it was a slow, but moving process for Will, one that would take quite a bit of time to heal and properly cope with, eventually having to realize that not everyone in this world was out to get her.

And having Taranee for a friend and letting her in as much as she'd managed to in such a short, yet seemingly lifelong friendship was a start.

There wasn't anything about Taranee Will didn't like, including her supposed flaws of still being too reserved, or the red hot temper she too possessed in contrast. She was, regardless, still immensely smart; much more confident with herself than she was when she was younger; dedicated to everything she tackled; loyal and kind; never quick to judge; and never hesitant to drop whatever it was she might have been doing to go help a friend in need.

And while she wasn't exactly the most athletic, being a tad bit on the, what Will supposed the super popular students at their school would call it, "nerdy side," none of that mattered to the redhead (besides the fact that she was an avid basketball fan, and an impressive natural at it, at that). Because it was perhaps this usually negative label that allowed Taranee to view life from an entirely different, more enlightened angle, than those who were within the "In Crowd" and thus ever could or would.

This was what also made their relationship so unique, as well, because Will, herself, was technically a part of said crowd, although she truthfully preferred to do her own thing and mingle with whomever she saw fit. Neither girl seemed to really care what people like Cornelia Hale, for example, the most popular girl in Heatherfield High, had to say about that, damn the supposed socially hindering consequences.

Although, granted, there was not a whole lot Cornelia or her cohorts like her best friend, Elyon Brown could really do to Will, given that her own reputation due to her swimming capabilities and success had always preceded her, nearly generating far more popularity and respect from others than the ruthless blonde her for herself.

And as for Taranee, well, those who were aware of this fact knew better than to try to even think of messing around with her, let alone actually doing so, knowing full well that she now ran within the same circles as Will by association.

Will tried not to be some sort of overprotective older sister to the other girl, and never really enacted anything in that regard, although she still _would_ at least think of herself as one to her, nonetheless.

_One thing's for sure, though; we definitely __are__ more like "sisters" than best friends, 'Ranee and I,_ Will thought with great fondness swelling within her heart, reaching up to pull off both her swim cap and goggles, just as Taranee was beginning to walk back over to her with her bag that had her towel and school clothes. _And I'm so glad that we are. . . . _

"Here ya go, 'Star,'" Taranee teased with a new smile, calling Will the nickname she'd given to her in relation to her winning streaks and captivating so many people with her swimming all over.

"Thanks, Rae," the crimson tressed girl replied in gratitude, seizing the duffel bag and pulling out her fluffy, white colored towel to dry herself off. "Now, all I need's a quick shower before changing, and we can make it to campus in good time."

"You're just lucky that the Rec's owner, Mr. Townson, is a fan of yours -- One of _millions_, of course -- and trusts you enough to loan you the key to get in here so early every weekday morning, or else you and I would always be late for class, _regardless_ of where else you'd try to go swimming," Taranee remarked with a smirk, folding her arms across her chest. "But, hey, speaking of, did you know that Mr. Townson is also a fan of that new girl's, Hay Lin? He actually owns two art pieces created by her and auctioned off a couple years ago, he told and showed me a couple days before the semester started. They're really impressive."

Will stopped drying her now slightly frizzy hair a moment at this, pausing to think.

"Hay Lin . . . Hay Lin . . . oh, _right!_ She's that girl the _Ice Queen_ and her posse made sure to trap within the proverbial corner, dashing her hopes of ever making friends with those who aren't afraid to incur Cornelia's supposed wrath, yeah?" she inquired after successfully recalling the newcomer's name, resuming her hair drying as Taranee nodded in confirmation.

"Exactly. That's the one, the poor girl. I feel so sorry for her. It's only been a couple of days since Sophomore year has started, and _already_ Cornelia and Elyon have managed to make her life a living Hell," she said with a growing, sympathetic frown, reaching up to readjust the brand new, Helium Paris eyeglasses upon her face that she had gotten over the past summer, and were far more streamlined, smaller and flattering than her old broader, round pair. "I don't know how anyone could be that cruel to someone they don't even know."

"It's only because the new girl apparently has a lot of talent, if she's as young as she is and already has a dual fan and collector in Mr. Townson, let alone at all, Rae. _I've_ only really dealt with or known Cornelia and Elyon and their ways for a year, technically speaking, since this new one has barely begun, and I honestly can't see anything worth while in _either_ of them, which is what their problem with both this girl _and_ myself most likely is, I'm sure," Will softly commented, although her rust colored eyes began to reflect the fantastic temper she preferred to keep in check. "And I can tell you want to reach out to her and help somehow, Rae, but for now I think it's just better if you leave well enough alone. No sense in making _yourself_ a target and getting caught in the line of fire when you don't have to, you know? Besides, I'm sure if it really bugs her, she'll stand up for herself soon enough."

Taranee only nodded gently in understanding as she watched her close friend walk past her and towards the locker room to shower, although not before gently patting her shoulder in affectionate consoling. While Will's parting statement might have seemed a bit detached, Taranee knew that it was merely the other girl's desire of never wanting to get involved within affairs that did not concern her, no matter how unjust some may seem.

It was all a part of her defense mechanism, Taranee understood, as a way to further ensure she would not get hurt further by people, as well as not wanting to see Taranee, herself, get hurt, as well.

Still, she couldn't help but to feel guilty at the apparently unanimous decision to let the newcomer at Heatherfield High School fend for herself within a ravenous sea of vicious, conniving and popularity-driven teenagers.

". . . . I just hope you're right about this, Will," Taranee gently sighed, gazing upon the now still, once again empty pool for a moment, before turning around to follow the already retreated girl into the locker room, before the both of them headed off to class.

**-- End of Chapter Two**

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**(A.N. Squee. BAM. Knocked another chapter out in one day, and lookit! It's a bit longer than the last. Woo hoo! LoL Just so you know, though, this whole scene with Will and Taranee happened well before Hay Lin's, meaning the two habitually wake up very early each morning and head to the Rec Center to help Will train some more, before then heading to school. So, I guess think of this chapter as chapter one and the reverse. But, if you're still confused, right now, at the very end with Will going to shower, is about the time that Hay Lin had just finished waking up and grooming, and is about to get dressed, but camp out a bit before Alchemy finally called her to scold her like you saw. LoL Um, what else. Oh, sorry if John Jay seems familiar. That's coincidence, honestly, since I was tired of making up school district names and just used John Jay, which had been one of MY high school's rivals. Meh. LoL Oh, and Cousin Naila's just made up, too, as I don't honestly know 'Ranee's extended family. LoL Dunno when chapter three will be out, and about Hay Lin again, but I'm happy to see a lot of you already really enjoy this story and "new world," all the same. After the day I've had, it's very much appreciated and about the only thing that makes me actually smile right now...)**


	4. Chapter Three

**Sirène: HCW**

**By: Sokai**

**Disclaimer: **I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave _that_ honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Australian television program, "H2O: Just Add Water," created by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions (even though this story's only inspired by said show, not an official crossover). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series.

Note: _Um . . . dunno what to say. Just read. LoL_

* * *

This story/chapter was created/written in July 2008.

* * *

i** Chapter Three **i

"Oh, crap! I'm _definitely_ going to be late! Alchemy's gonna _kill_ me!" Hay Lin tiredly breathed in frustration, gazing down at her green, alien-decorated wristwatch as she continued feverishly sprinting down the already busy, morning streets. She had only just passed by the laundromat, "Fluff-N-Fold," which was only about six minutes away from her house, and it was another _twelve_ minutes before she would by meeting Alchemy at their habitual spot that was halfway between each of their homes.

And given that it would take them at least another fourteen minutes before the pair would successfully make it onto campus, Hay Lin knew she was _really_ in for it once she'd met up with the other girl.

"Homeroom starts at seven-twenty, and the late bell rings at seventy-thirty! It's already seven-fifteen, and you're _still_ not here! We're _definitely_ screwed, for sure!" was what the Asian American teenager was positive her sole companion would say if they were speaking on their cellphones again right at that moment, or at the _very_ least was most likely currently thinking.

"If only we both lived right next door to school, or at least were able to drive yet, then this wouldn't be an issue!" she remarked in between labored huffs, silently cursing that both girls did, however live close enough to the school that the school buses did not pass through their way -- At least, not that she'd seen yet, anyway.

She'd have to remember to ask Alchemy, and if they couldn't just take them from now on if they _did_ pass through their neighborhoods, rather than always risk suspension for repeated offenses.

Right on cue, it seemed, Hay Lin felt her cellphone vibrating within her pants pocket, the ring tone she'd chosen for Alchemy echoing into the atmosphere. She blindly reached inside and pulled it out, hitting the talk button once she'd rounded the corner and past "Mario's Pizzeria," where the two friends had already hung out after school a couple of times.

"Y-Yeah! I know, Al! I'm really late! You should go on ahead without me, and I'll meet up with you later in gym class, okay? I'm gonna see if I can't find a shortcut to try to cut the time down some," Hay Lin panted into the receiver, speaking within a rush before Alchemy had gotten a chance to, herself.

"Yeah, you _are_ really late! I swear, if you don't give that idiot girl a piece of your mind soon, I _will!_ I've got nothing to lose, since I'm _already_ considered a 'loser' by fraternizing with you," Alchemy responded over the other end in annoyance, sharply clicking her tongue in effect. "Just be careful, all right? I'll try to hang around for you outside the school entrance for as long as I can, before the hall monitors bus me inside. Later, Lin."

Hanging up the phone, not bothering to put it back into her pocket, Hay Lin began to look about her surroundings to pinpoint where she was and exactly how far she was from campus.

"Okay . . . there's 'Maison de Fleur,' and 'Burger Joint' across the way," she murmured thoughtfully to herself, stopping a moment to take a breath while continuing to observe her current location. "Ugh, I wish I could still remember every exact place within this city! Everything's changed so much, it's been so long. Okay, okay . . . calm down, Hay Lin. If I keep going straight like always, it'll take me another seven minutes or so before I'd get to the meeting spot. So . . . maybe if I go left here, instead, I might be able to loop around somewhere and get to school more quickly. Worth a shot, since I _cannot_ be late again!"

Taking a deep breath, Hay Lin resumed her sprint down the street, taking a left as she'd planned. After a couple of minutes, she truthfully didn't recognize, or at least couldn't yet recall this new area, the further she went down, and was beginning to notice that the further she _did_ travel, the more secluded it had become.

"U-Um . . . maybe I should head back," she softly whispered to herself, feeling a bit uneasy, about to turn around when suddenly a tall figure appeared from out of the surrounding shadows and blocked her path.

"Where you headed, Little Lady?? Looks like you might be a bit lost," said the male stranger within an eerie manner that made Hay Lin's heart jump and stomach careen with uneasy back flips. He appeared to be around his late twenties, early thirties, dirt and oil matted upon his scruffy, disheveled, dirty blonde hair and torn white t-shirt and brown pants.

He gave Hay Lin a leering, mischievous look, cold, hazel eyes shifting its gaze upon something she wasn't quite aware of . . . yet.

"U-Uh . . . n-n-no, I'm not lost. I was actually just leaving, so if you'll excuse me, I'll --"

"-- Oh, no, I don't think so," the man interrupted, swiftly placing himself in front of Hay Lin's way once again. "Ya see, this here's _my_ alley, and if you wanna pass on through, you gotta pay the toll."

Hay Lin's heart began to pound viciously from behind her breastplate, her mind rapidly trying to think of ways to escape this increasingly dangerous situation.

"I-I don't have any money, a-and nothing valuable on me. Just please let me by! I've gotta get to school!" she tried to reason, trying to push past the aggressive man, who then suddenly grabbed a hold of her wrist with one hand, while seizing the cellphone she'd honestly forgotten she still had within her hand with the other.

"I think _this_ will do nicely, for starters, thanks!" he declared, effortlessly pushing the frightened teenager to the ground the moment she tried to retrieve her phone. "And then I think I'll take whatever you got in that psychedelic-looking bag of yours, too!"

"N-no! _Help!_ Somebody! _Ahh!!_" Hay Lin screamed out for a rescuer, as the man lunged towards her to silence his victim. She was too terrified that she completely forgot all about both her cellphone and backpack that she'd dropped onto the ground, and began to run as fast as she could out of the alleyway and back into the bright sunlight.

She chanced a spare moment by looking back behind her, to see if perhaps that pernicious man might have been following after her. However, he was already gone, and so too were her belongings.

Her school books; notebooks; brand new art supplies and sketchbook she always carried with her in case inspiration struck her while on the go. _Worst_ of all, her _wallet_ had been in that bag.

And what about her cellphone? Her parents had just bought her that phone as a welcome home present last month, one of the most expensive models currently out, as well.

_Now_ what was she going to do?

* * *

By the time Hay Lin had made it to school, it was already eight-fifteen, class having long since begun. As frightened as she still was, she had been far too frazzled to continue running the rest of the way to campus, instead slowly walking within a daze with her arms wrapped around herself in futile comfort.

She was completely unaware of when she'd reached school grounds, or even when she made it into the classroom of her first class of the day, Economics.

"How nice of you to finally join us, Miss Lin. Now, if you'll please take your -- Oh, my God! _Look_ at you! What happened??" her teacher, Mr. Starks, gasped in alarm once he'd looked up from his desk and took in the inexplicable tousled sight of his repetitively tardy new student.

It was true, and something Hay Lin, herself, hadn't even been aware of, until she followed his and the rest of the class's gaze to her sullied appearance. Her raven, formally neat hair was now a complete mess, and her attire that was once clean and unwrinkled was now marred with dirt and what looked like transmission fluid all over her side and backside.

"Oh, my word! You're _bleeding!_" Mr. Starks cried in shock as he quickly rose from his seat and rushed to his pupil's side to properly examine her.

". . . . I-I am?" Hay Lin asked within stupefaction, slowly looking down at her left arm that her teacher was gingerly holding within both of his hands. Sure enough, there was a diagonal, red flesh wound marring her otherwise flawless appendage, instantly beginning to sting the moment the middle-aged man accidentally grazed a finger over it.

And it was at that moment that all of Hay Lin's senses finally came rushing back to her, and she began to cry in hysterics.

"T-There was a-a _man!!_ I-i-in the alleyway! H-He _robbed_ me!!" she sobbed heavily, clinging to her Economics teacher for support, just as her body began to quiver and knees buckled under the pressure of trying to hold her now fragile structure upright.

Mr. Starks looked upon the weakened, visibly upset girl with great sympathy, trying his best to calm her down while the rest of his students could only look on with mixed feelings of utter shock, fear and even disbelief.

". . . . C-Calm down, Hay Lin . . . you're safe now. You're safe," he quietly reassured the small girl, awkwardly stroking her chaotic hair.

It seemed to have worked, because the Heatherfield High School employee could then feel Hay Lin stop shivering as she laid her head against his chest. But then, suddenly, he could hear one of his students curiously calling out to him.

"M-Mr. Starks, look out! She's gonna --!" was all the golden haired, fairly big-nosed boy with steel framed eyeglasses could get out from his seat, before he and the rest of the class regrettably watched as Hay Lin abruptly opened her mouth to vomit all over Mr. Starks' white colored business shirt.

"Ewwwwww!" the student populous within that room ushered forth with unanimous disgust, watching as the orange-yellow, milky-like substance immediately seeped through the unfortunate man's formerly clean shirt and chest, as Hay Lin swiftly backed away in extreme embarrassment, covering her mouth after she'd finished.

"Ugh . . . I'll just, uh . . . get this . . . cleaned up . . . and send you to the nurse, Hay Lin," Mr. Starks spoke weakly, trying very hard to mask his own revilement as he gingerly tried to pull his shirt away from his chest, although his tanned face effortlessly revealed otherwise. "All right, Hay Lin? _H-Hay Lin!_"

As he looked up from his dirtied attire, it was in time to witness the poor, discombobulated girl sway back and forth a bit on her feet for a moment, before her almond colored eyes rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed onto the floor within a crumbled, unconscious heap.

**-- End of Chapter Three**

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**(A.N. I don't know WHY, but I just oh so love to torture the W.I.T.C.H. gals, regardless of genre. LoL No worries, she's finnnnnne. Just in shock and completely rattled by what just happened to her. She'll recover . . . I'm pretty sure, anyway. LoL And nice little shout cameo to/for Martin Tubbs, there, when he told the teacher Hay Lin was about to hurl. LoL I dunno if I'll use him again. We'll see. Anyway, I don't like chopping these guys, my chapters, I mean, into bits and making them shorter as a result. But like I've said for the millionth time, don't have a set computer yet, and any time I CAN have on it is precious. So I wanna get what I can out WHEN I can. But chapter four, when MOST everything, I guess, goes down, should be much, much longer, because I don't/won't want to divide THAT up. Wanna get it out altogether, what I have planned in it. So . . . yeah. Um. Later! LoL)**


	5. Chapter Four

**Sirène: HCW**

**By: Sokai**

**Disclaimer: **I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave _that_ honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Australian television program, "H2O: Just Add Water," created by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions (even though this story's only inspired by said show, not an official crossover). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series.

Note: _Good, Sweet Mickey, man (yeah, I know it's "Mike," not "Mickey," but it's an inside joke). I don't know WHY, exactly, that chapter three seemed to strike a chord with a bit of you, but it did, and not in a pleasant way (for ME, at least LoL). I know I've said it before, but apparently I have to again. As we all know, those of you who've dealt with/known me for years now and read my stories or just talk to me on occasion "in person," etc, know that you're always met with a respectful person, generally speaking. About the only time you'll find a "grr" kind of version of me is when it involves nitpicking. Oh, my LORDIE do I hate that. Cripes. LoL And, unfortunately, that's what I was met with, and at the wrong time, and wrong person (given that said person is generally a good associate of mine and vice versa). So while I will not name names out of spotlight avoidance and respect, I have and will apologize again that you met me on a REALLY REALLY bad day yesterday, and thus incurred my wrath. As for anyone else, I'm putting out an honest question, here, that I hope you will each answer once you've left a review later: _

_Once I debut Cornelia (and yes, a bit later on, Irma), WOULD you care to know her (their) history in the way I'd created new ones for Taranee, Will, and Hay Lin, or just barrel into the story as is? _

_I'm going to be honest, myself, and say that I'd prefer not to, and, sorry, quite honestly don't care that some found 'Ranee's and Hay Lin's flashback "annoying," so to speak. I did it for necessity's sake, being this is an A.U. story (not to mention, I generally do that, anyway, in majority of my stories, just in case people reading have never watched/read whatever series I'm writing about)._

_But just in case it turns out more of you DID find it bothersome for w/e reason, please answer the question and I will/won't bother informing anyone about Cornelia's "new" life up to now._

_Thanks._

* * *

This story/chapter was created/written in July 2008.

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i** Chapter Four **i

When Hay Lin had next awakened, she mysteriously found herself gazing up at her vaguely familiar, white bedroom ceiling, promptly causing her to believe that the entire ordeal with the robbery in the alleyway on the way to school this morning had all been a dream.

"What a crazy, _vivid_ one at that," she groggily murmured to herself after letting out a small yawn, slowly sitting up in her bed. "_So_ much so, actually, that I can still feel the pain from that scrape I'd gotten in it, and -- _Ouch!_"

As though on cue, a more resounding jolt of affliction than the previous throbbing she had been feeling suddenly catapulted its way up Hay Lin's left forearm and bicep, before evenly distributing itself throughout the overall appendage.

Looking down in alarm, the brown eyed creator saw that she had the arm mysteriously bandaged, and, moreover, that her chest was clothed with another shirt that had not been the one she'd originally dressed herself within.

It was then that everything began to come back to Hay Lin, her head beginning to swim and stomach tighten up with increased nerves over the ordeal all over again.

"Hay Lin? Honey, are you awake?" the victimized teenager could suddenly hear her mother call out from the hallway and behind her closed door, before then opening it. "Oh, you are. Thank _Goodness_ you're all right, sweetheart!"

"M-Mom? What are you doing home?'" Hay Lin asked a bit stupidly, given the recently remembered circumstances, welcoming the generous embrace the taller woman had just then finished bestowing onto her.

Mrs. Lin gave her only daughter a puzzled look as she carefully took a seat next to her on the bed, as though in agreement with the out of place inquiry.

"Well, of _course_ I'd be here with you, Hay Lin! Don't you remember? Your school called the restaurant after there was no answer at the house, informing us that you had gotten sick and collapsed inside your first period class," she began to explain, her voice quivering a bit as she clearly tried her best, if only for her child's sake, to maintain her traditionally calm and collected demeanor. "You were carried and brought to the nurse by your teacher -- Mr. Starks, I believe he said his name was, when I'd gotten there and met him -- and examined to ensure that everything was fine, which it is."

". . . . I-I was . . . I was _robbed_, Mom," Hay Lin managed to softly murmur, before her vibrant, almond colored gems instantly filled with renewed tears over the traumatizing ordeal, and she immediately swung both of her frail arms around her mother's strong waist in comfort.

Mrs. Lin, no longer able to keep her tumultuous emotions in check, exhaled deeply as her own tears began to shed from her selfsame eyes before closing them, stroking Hay Lin's long, black locks that were now free from the pigtails she'd styled them in earlier that morning.

"Oh, baby, I know . . . I know," she whispered with a heavy heart, slowly rocking the both emotionally and physically bruised girl within her arms. "Your teacher told me the whole story . . . how you had gone into class late because you had been apparently pillaged by some . . . some _vandal_ within an alleyway. . . . Oh, Hay Lin! You must have been so _terrified!_ I'm so sorry that it happened to you, my love . . . but what on Earth were you doing wondering through there in the _first_ place? Even during the day it's never safe to do something like that!"

"I know, Mom . . . but I-I was running late to school! And I _couldn't_ be late again, so I --"

"-- What do you mean, '_again?_' I thought you've been getting to class on time everyday, with your little new friend, Alchemy?" Mrs. Lin interrupted in perplexity, pulling her sheepish looking daughter away from her to get a better look.

Hay Lin, in the midst of her great upset, had completely forgotten her self made promise not to alert her parents, for the sake of not having them worry or feel blameworthy, to the immense distress she had been feeling ever since the new semester had started.

She would have to think fast to throw her mother off course, if she didn't want there to be yet another issue for the Lin family to have to currently deal with.

"I, uh . . . I o-only meant that I didn't want to be late again, like I sometimes would be over at E.N.B.A. back in Dijon, even though I would set my alarm -- Deep sleeper," she awkwardly lied as she wiped a couple of stray tears away from her face, unable to meet her mother's gaze. "I-I just didn't want to repeat the habit over _here_, at my new school, that's all. . . ."

"Oh. Well, while I'm glad you're taking pride in maintaining a good permanent record, honey, it still wasn't worth _this_. Who _knows_ what else that Mad Man could have done to you, more than just giving you that cut on your arm and stealing your belongings . . . I don't even want to think about it," Mrs. Lin said with a shiver after clearing her own face free of tears, making Hay Lin feel relieved that she seemed to have bought her hurried excuse, at the same time she felt guilty that she had given rise to so much fear within the older woman for her miscalculated actions.

Hay Lin moved over to give her mother another hug, whispering against her shoulder as she did so.

"I'm _so_ sorry that I made you scared, Mom . . . _and_ Dad, I'm sure. Is he still at the Silver Dragon?" she asked, at last noticing that her father was no where to be seen inside of her bedroom.

Mrs. Lin nodded gently against her daughter's shoulder, softly stroking her free-flowing hair that elegantly lay against her back.

"Yes, honey. He wanted to come with me to pick you up at school, but we're a bit short staffed today. And being that he is Head Chef, we couldn't _both_ of us leave," she explained, exhaling slowly as she at last began to relax a little bit, her daughter mirroring her sentiment. "But he sends his love, and told me to tell you that he will come by around noontime with lunch, after I go and take his place to watch over the restaurant."

"Okay . . . but do you think it'd be all right if I go back to sleep for a little bit, Mom? My head's still kinda heavy," Hay Lin spoke with another yawn, feeling sleepy all over again as she pulled away from her now pensive looking mother.

". . . . Well, of course, sweetheart . . . but first, you have to give an official police report about exactly everything that had happened, and what the man had looked like so they can catch him and get him off the streets," she revealed carefully, not wishing to upset her daughter any further than she had been that day so far. "There are two police officers here, who have been waiting patiently downstairs to speak with you. But, if you're not up to it right now, I will tell them to come back another ti --"

"-- N-No, Mom, it's okay . . . better to do it now and be done with it, I guess," Hay Lin avowed as bravely as she could, slowly rising from her bed with her mother's help, before heading out of her bedroom and down the stairs to meet with the two awaiting law enforcements.

* * *

The very moment school had been let out later on that afternoon, at two-ten as always, Alchemy had practically flown out of the front entrance doors, with the intention to head straight over to Hay Lin's house to see how the poor girl was doing.

It was all the ochre haired teenager could do to prevent herself from losing her mind throughout the entire day, forced to sit through class after class, waiting for the final bell to ring, as well as trying her very best to block out the incessant gossip, comments and even egregious stories that were already beginning to circulate about the fleeced artist's surprising mishap earlier on that morning.

Or, _supposed_ mishap, as Alchemy had heard the majority of fellow students buzzing about as she'd passed throughout the hallways and sat within each class.

"_I_ heard that she didn't get robbed at all, like Mr. Starks said! Yeah! She was forced to give up all of her belongings as a way to slow down the pack of _vicious_, wild junkyard dogs that were chasing her _all_ the way to school! _What_ a trooper!" the pair of students seated directly behind her within her Chemistry class had whispered excitedly to one another, while their teacher, Mrs. Stevens, continued on within her lesson.

However, it had been what Alchemy had eavesdropped upon inside of her last class of the day, Study Hall, that had taken the cake for her:

"I've got two words for you to explain what _really_ happened to that Lin chick this morning: Alien. Abduction," a Freshman boy revealed with narrowed, suspicious green eyes to his apparent friend seated next to him at their shared table across from Alchemy's. "No doubt about it in my mind, dude. And it all makes _sense_, too. Ever notice how she's _always_ wearing some type of alien, _supposed_ fashion accessory ever since school started? _Must_ be how they communicate or keep tabs on her, like some sort of _tracking device_ or something. I'd keep my eye on her if _I_ were you. . . ."

As bizarre as those two accounts had been, just as all the others had been, Alchemy was nonetheless relieved that no one hadn't spoken ill of her friend -- At least, not until either Cornelia or Elyon decided to take over the reins upon the matter, anyway.

"But it doesn't matter, because Lin knows I've always got her back. Friends always stick together," she murmured to herself in confident assurance, about to step off school property and onto the nearby sidewalk, when she was stopped by the Grumper Sisters, who abruptly placed themselves within her path.

"Well, if it isn't our former _compader_," Bess delivered with a mischievous smirk upon her round, small face, tucking back a stray strand of her cherry red hair behind her ears, while her taller, more forthright sister, Courtney, stood next to her with an expectant look upon her freckled visage.

Alchemy let out a deep, long winded and irritated sigh at the unwanted sight of her inconsistent associates, impatiently tapping her sneakered foot against the hard gravel beneath her.

"Um, I'm _pretty_ sure the word you're looking for is '_compadre_,' Bess, _not_ 'compader.' If you're _going_ to speak Spanish, at least learn how to use it _properly_ -- Then again, this _would_ explain why you needed a tutor for nearly _every_ subject you were taking last year," she ribbed in satisfaction, enjoying the deeply embarrassed and flabbergasted expression the shorter girl now had upon her face.

"W-W-Why _you_ --!" Bess began in ire, before her sister promptly rested a hand upon her shoulder to silence her.

"-- Don't worry about it, B. Alkie, here's just upset because the only friend she has left in the world has turned out to be a big, fat _liar!_" she fumed with vindication and a malevolent smile, emerald colored gems agleam.

"_Lord_. I should have known that if anyone would start spreading the rumors that Hay Lin made the whole thing up about her having been attacked this morning, it would have been _you_ guys. Don't you two ever grow tired of having _such_ a dull, one track mind and feeding off of other people's misfortunes?" Alchemy shot right back with an amused grin of her own, before swiftly sidestepping the seething, notorious informants and continuing on her way.

"If the Ice Queen and her lackey can get away with doing it, themselves, then why can't _we?_ It's all over the school, anyway. And besides, we're _only_ trying to help you out, Alchemy, being that we all _used_ to be such a tight trio, like 'The Three Amigos,'" Bess spoke with vague hurt riddled within her voice, this time in succeeding in making correct use of the Spanish word for "friend," as both she and her sister turned around to watch the retreating girl. "I mean, didn't we always have fun rocking out together in our old band, 'Alchemy and the Grumpers' back in the eighth grade? Or staying up all night over the phone, talking about the latest fashion trends and who was cheating on whom? But ever since that _Lin_ girl came around, you've _completely_ dissed us!"

"I _know!_ You've _totally_ sacrificed your own growing popularity as a highly respected musician within this city, to hang around with that social _outcast!_" Courtney criticized in agreement, walking after Alchemy with great, heated strides and her medium length, maroon locks wisping feverishly within the wind. "I can't believe that you would choose a complete _stranger_ over your _girlfriends!_"

Alchemy, having at last hit the wall, as her extended patience with her occasional companions had just then expired, whirled around, a deep scowl set upon her peaches and cream complexion.

"Oh, don't tell me you two are actually _jealous_ of Hay Lin?? Why is she _such_ the big deal to everyone at this school? Is it because she's already accomplished more than certainly _you_ two will ever hope to do so for yourselves in your entire _lifetime_, or is it something _else??_" she barked in irritation, as hers and Courtney's noses nearly grazed one another due to their unexpected close proximity when she'd turned around, her usually even temper and relaxed nature completely unraveling. "Look, _yeah_, okay, I'll admit that sometimes I _do_ miss hanging out with you guys. And clearly you both feel the same -- Besides having just basically copped to it -- or else you wouldn't risk openly talking to me in public like this and thus might accidentally catch my newfound 'Uncool Plague.' But let's face it: There's a _reason_ why we're always friends _one_ week, hate each other the _next_ and back again. We've all just got too different priorities . . . and _mine_ happen to go beyond knowing the right shade of lip gloss to wear on a first date, or ways to get into the good graces of the most popular girl at school, even though you can't stand her and habitually talk bad about her behind her back. . . ."

". . . . Tch. _Forget_ about her, Courtney. If she wants to ruin her life by choosing the wrong people to hang out with, then _let_ her. But _she'll_ be sorry, don't you worry. . . ." Bess mumbled bitterly to her now silent sibling, reaching out to seize her arm to drag her away as Alchemy resumed her trek away from the high school. She could feel Courtney's eyes nearly boring a hole into the back of her skull, no doubt reflecting the ongoing betrayal she and Bess both felt against her.

Even though she knew she had done the right thing in defending Hay Lin's good name, Alchemy nonetheless began to feel a bit remorseful to have been so forthcoming with her old friends, as she continued on in her walk and her temper began to reside.

_I know that those two are only trying to make me feel worse for seemingly choosing Lin over them, but no one said that they couldn't __also__ be her friend, as well_, she thought with a heavy sigh, just as she rounded the corner. _But __they're__ the ones who refuse to think for themselves for a change, rather than 'go with the flow' just because it's what everyone __else__ is doing. That's why I can't hang around them anymore, because __I'm__ not like that anymore. . . ._

None of that mattered at the moment to Alchemy anyway, as it was all in the past and behind her. What _did_ matter was at last making it to her _true_ friend's house, and giving her the support and comfort she was quite certain she sorely needed.

* * *

"You sure you should be pigging out on burgers and fries right now, Will? I mean, you _are_ currently -- And always _are_, I might add -- in training," Taranee playfully inquired with a curious raise of her delicately shaped dark eyebrow, watching the redhead across from her happily take a third bite out of her hamburger from where they both sat, inside of one of the many red colored booths of the Burger Joint, a quaint restaurant that was quite the popular hang out spot among the high school students, especially.

"So, I'll just put in an extra workout to help shed the extra _calories_. Besides! This is a special occasion, Rae! We're celebrating the great practice we had this morning!" Will responded in between chewing, giggling at her friend's disgusted look upon her face at the sight of the mushed up food still lingering within her mouth.

"Ugh . . . swallow first, _then_ speak, eh? _Anyway_, that may be so, but who's the one footing the bill for this 'bountiful meal?' So I'd hardly say that there's much for _me_ to celebrate," Taranee teased in false upset, before taking a sip of her vanilla milkshake and reaching out to steal a French Fry from the other girl's plate.

"Hey! That's _my_ fry! You could have _just_ as easily ordered something _more_ than a chicken salad and vanilla milkshake, you know," Will remarked with another grin, setting down her half eaten hamburger to drink from her own beverage of Iced Tea.

Taranee's own simper faltered a bit just then, as her brown eyes grew a bit far away.

"Yeah . . . I guess so. But . . . it just feels a bit weird to me to want to celebrate over _anything_ right now . . . not after what had happened to Hay Lin this morning," she said softly, gazing down at her unfinished salad, and just missing Will's disapproving and dithery expression she had then formed upon her tawny face.

"Rae, not _this_ again. We've been _over_ this already -- All _morning_, in fact, _and_ on the way over here after school. You and I made plans to come to B.J. _immediately_ after leaving the Rec Center, which was, according to everyone's various stories at school, _before_ Hay Lin had gotten attacked. So it isn't like we're defying or diminishing the severity of what happened to her by being here," she argued with a heavy sigh, beginning to lose both her appetite as well as good mood.

It was becoming a nasty habit, one that Will was not at all fond of, for the sensitive intellectual to habitually focus upon or talk about the new girl, Hay Lin, and seemingly always wanting to take the girl's increasing troubles on as her own. Then again, it was what Taranee was prone to doing for various people either just she or the both of them would come across over the years, and was something Will truly admired within the other girl.

However, Will, for whatever reason, continued to get a bad feeling about that Lin girl whenever she was brought up in conversation by Taranee, or one of their other mutual friends . . . it was a feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on, but knew that it was one that refused to subside.

"I _know_ that, okay??" Taranee snapped, looking up sharply from her uneaten meal and at the now taken aback Will, before promptly sighing in apology. "I'm sorry, Will . . . it's just . . . I don't know _what_ it is -- Why she stands out to me so much. I guess . . . maybe it's because she kinda reminds me of _me_. . . . You know, 'The New Girl' with no friends. And I was too shy back then that I really couldn't and _didn't_ make that many friends until _you_ came around, honestly. . . ."

Will frowned softly in affect towards her best friend, reaching out across the table to squeeze her hand.

"Well, yeah, Rae . . . but that's in the past now. You've learned to open up more and have _a lot_ more friends -- And _not_ because of me, but because of who _you_ are," she complimented in reassurance, giving the now blushing Taranee's hand another squeeze. "And besides, you seem to forget that _I_ was once the 'New Girl,' myself, around here. But everything worked out fine -- And it will for Hay Lin, too. Just give it time, okay? I'm sure she's at home right now, with her loved ones and resting up."

"But _you_ didn't have it as rough when _you_ were new, Will -- Nearly everyone instantly adored you and _still_ do, in case you haven't noticed," Taranee commented lightly, waving her free hand within the direction of the various, fellow students and customers seated nearby within the other booths, and whispering excitedly to one another while gazing at the duo. "Still, you're right, I guess. . . . Listen, Will, would you mind if we cut this short and I went home? I'm not exactly feeling too well . . . but I'll make it up to you tomorrow, okay?"

Will struggled to hide her disappointment at the news for a moment, before nodding slowly in understanding.

"O-Oh yeah, sure, Rae, no problem. I'm just gonna stick around and finish my food before heading home, myself," she said, reaching into the pocket of her jeans for her wallet to see if she had enough to pay for the meal for herself.

"No, Will, don't worry about that. I told you. This was _my_ treat -- You deserve it," Taranee kindly dismissed, sliding out of the booth to stand before her still seated friend, before taking out her own wallet and pulling out a twenty dollar bill. "Here. Just leave that for the server when you're ready to leave, okay? I'll call you later, Will. . . ."

"Y-Yeah . . . later," Will weakly responded, her mouth growing dry as she watched Taranee exit the increasingly packed restaurant, her long, raven colored French braid swinging behind her as she went. "_Great_ . . . what's the point in celebrating if there isn't anyone left to celebrate _with??_"

She hadn't meant to make her friend so upset, or at all. She was merely trying to make a point that regardless of how either of them felt about Hay Lin's continued mistreatment, it couldn't be helped. Nothing would change unless the girl finally put her foot down and took a firm stand for herself.

_Still_. . . .

"I probably _could_ have been a bit more sensitive about it . . . I mean, she _did_ just get robbed today, as though she hasn't _already_ been through enough, thanks to Cornelia and Elyon's incessant tirade against her," the redhead mumbled with self disgust into her beverage before taking another sip, looking vacantly across her booth where only Taranee's unfinished salad and vanilla milkshake still remained. "Maybe Taranee's right, and we _should_ do something to help her out, despite my uneasy feelings about her. I mean, as much as I hate to get involved with things that don't involve me because I don't want to get hurt, it'd be pretty hypocritical to continue to stand by and watch _others_ get hurt instead, _and_ for no reason at all. . . ."

Groaning lightly under her breath at her recent resolution, silently cursing herself, in factitious aggrievement over the type of influence her best friend had over her, Will was about to throw down Taranee's money onto the table, before leaving to head over to the other girl's house to apologize when the new girl, herself, suddenly walked through the entrance.

_Huh. Speak of the Devil_, the female athlete mused in surprise, her molasses tinted eyes widening a bit to reflect that, while she watched Hay Lin awkwardly walk towards an empty booth in the far corner of the restaurant that was a bit less crowded than everywhere else. With her was another girl whom Will wasn't particular familiar with, but had seen hanging around the artist on occasion.

"C'mon, Lin. It's like I told you back at your house: After the day you've had, and having to deal with the police coming over there to ask questions about the guy who attacked you, this is _exactly_ what you need," Will could hear the rust haired girl gently speak to a flustered looking Hay Lin as they passed by, not at all noticing her. "You stayed, cooked up inside of your room _all_ morning, according to your mom, and didn't even want to eat anything your dad made and brought over for you from your guys' restaurant. I know that it must be really tough and scary to be out like this right now, but you've got _me_ here with you . . . everything will be all right now."

_Hmm . . . so I guess it was true, after all, what happened to her,_ Will thought to herself as the pair had gotten too far away for her to properly hear any more of their discussion. _Well, since she's here, I might as well go and talk to her __now__, rather than wait until tomorrow morning at school. But, maybe I'll wait a couple of minutes and let them get settled and order something to eat before doing so -- From the sound of things, she's been through enough. . . ._

No sooner had Will finished that thought did she regrettably hear a voice she had grown quite familiar with suddenly sound from behind her.

"Well, look who has the nerve to show her lying, little face in here!"

Elyon Brown.

Will could feel her anger beginning to bubble from inside her, as she turned within her seat to watch the petite, steely blue eyed, platinum blonde saunter her way down the aisle with her usual clique of followers she'd travel around with. The crimson haired girl hadn't any idea that Elyon had also been inside of the Burger Joint at the same time, as well, or else she probably would have suggested to Taranee that they go somewhere else, just to avoid the hassle of having to deal with her. She was also surprised, however, to see that the budding Diva's right hand man, Cornelia, was no where in sight for once, although it would have explained why Elyon seemed particularly full of herself, more so than usual.

"Anything to keep the attention all to yourself, I see," Will muttered to herself as Elyon and her groupies passed, however not soft enough as the popular girl abruptly stopped in her tracks and veered her head towards her direction.

"_Excuse_ me?? Was I _talking_ to you??" the shorter girl hissed in revilement, the attention of every last occupant within the restaurant now converging onto the two.

Will, absolutely refusing to back down, merely took a casual sip of the last of her Iced Tea a moment, before gazing up at the expectant teenager with an even expression upon her face.

"Who, me? Wouldn't waste my breath. But, since I've got you here, why don't I give you a word of advice: Why don't you quit worrying about every little thing everyone else does, and worry about _yourself_ for a change? You could certainly _do_ with some 'Emotional Renovating,'" she coolly remarked, her brown eyes locking with Elyon's now wroth blue, watching as her creamy cheeks instantly grew flushed in abashment.

"W-Wha --! _Y_-_You_ --!" she stammered for a moment, both of her fists balling up tightly with rage. "Y-You're just _jealous!_ That's right! Because people only like you because you're good at swimming! But take that away and you're nothing but a pathetic, withdrawn _loser!_ Why do you think me and Cornelia never _bothered_ with you when you first moved here? Because you're not _worth_ it! You could _never_ be as popular, pretty _or_ genuinely talented as _we_ are, like I am with my drawing and Cornelia is with her skating! Isn't that _right_, 'Loser Lin?' Isn't _that_ why you had to go and make up stories about your things getting stolen by some _imaginary_ pickpocket, just so everyone would feel _sorry_ for you and want to be your friend?? Well, fat chance, 'cause _no_ one's buying it!!"

Will bitterly watched as Hay Lin's frightened, almond colored eyes briefly met with her own from where she and her visibly irritated friend sat, almost in pleading, before shifting onto Elyon, who had then begun to resume her walk now that she had gotten in the final word within her momentary battle with the redhead.

The elite swimmer began to feel a bit hollow inside, mentally kicking herself that she actually felt affected by anything Elyon Brown had to say or thought about her, at all. It wasn't true. People didn't just like her or wanted to hang out with her only because she was a good swimmer and always won meet after meet on their school's behalf. They wanted to be her friend because of who she was, the way Taranee was . . . _didn't_ they?

For the first time in a very long time, Will was beginning to feel just as insecure and doubtful as she used to when she was younger, and she didn't like it in the slightest.

She had to get out of there.

So busy being trapped within her own ruminations, Will barely even noticed the swift, dark blur that had suddenly whizzed by her just as she rose out of her booth to leave.

"_See??_ What did I tell ya? She couldn't handle the truth, so she had to go and run in _shame!_ That'll teach her!" Elyon exclaimed with self righteous glee from behind Will in the distance, just as Hay Lin's companion roughly pushed past the blonde girl and frantically called after the fleeing girl.

Feeling more angry than she ever had within her entire life, Will completely forgot all about her own personal issues in an instant, now wanting more than anything than to simply march right up to the now giggling Elyon and knock her completely out. But she knew, however, that probably only make things worse for Hay Lin later on.

_Besides, there were far more important things to worry about right now, like making sure she's all right_, she thought briefly to herself, setting down Taranee's money onto the table and underneath her finished beverage for safekeeping. _Talk about a turn around in formerly not wanting to have anything to do with her . . . if only you could see me now, Rae._

And so, with a fleeting, hardened stare shot towards Elyon's direction, who effortlessly returned the gesture before incredulously sitting down within Hay Lin's discarded seat with her group of friends following suit, Will quickly rushed out of the door, in hot pursuit of the emotionally tormented girl.

**-- End of Chapter Four**

* * *

**(A.N. Woo. Done. I hated this chapter. I really did. Still do. Whatever. Damn it. LoL But at least it's 1: longer than all the others; 2: placed all of the girls – Well, Will and Hay Lin – where I want them to be; and 3: is out before I leave for FL on Monday. Squee. LoL I KNOW!! "Where's Cornelia? Where's IRMA??" For THE last time! Stop asking me that, because I haven't seemingly "excluded" her (Irma) for no reason. Ever think it's all been for a reason? Hmmmmmmm?? Obviously not, or else you'd stop asking by now. LoL Who knows? Maybe she'll show up sooner than you think . . . like in the same chapter as Cornelia . . . cough, cough. LoL Anyway, since Alchemy always came off to me as kinda Valley Girl/kinda tomboy-ish/yet boy/fashion/non-important things in life-obsessed in the show, and the Grumper Sisters seemed the same way – negating the tomboy/kindaness – I thought I'd capitalize upon that in her mini-kinda "back story" while talking to them after school. Oh, and I know Will might have seemed a tad OOC, but who REALLY cares?? I mean, REALLY, here? LoL This whole STORY'S a tad OOC! Lookit ELYON, for Pete's sake. LoL That girl's a pure psycho now. LoL But, yeah! Stay tuned for chapter five, DEFINITELY, because, YES, it's when they'll become mermaids. Okay, well not OFFICIALLY, but when "the weird occurrence" happens to them that'll LATER make them become mermaids. LoL Hope to see ya all there!)**


	6. Chapter Five

**Sirène: HCW**

**By: Sokai**

**Disclaimer: **I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave _that_ honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Australian television program, "H2O: Just Add Water," created by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions (even though this story's only inspired by said show, not an official crossover). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series.

Note: _See? I knew this story would soon become quite infectious to the few of you currently reading it, and most likely will do the same to any newcomers in the near future. YOU CANNOT RESIST!! LoL_

* * *

This story/chapter was created/written in July 2008.

* * *

i **Chapter Five **i

Hay Lin had no clue where she was headed, _or_ for how long she'd been running -- And, quite frankly, it didn't matter. She could have gotten lost, or, God forbid, run into the same derelict man who had attacked her earlier on that same day, but _still_ she continued to blindly charge through the streets with abandon.

She had had it. She was tired of being tormented by Elyon and her relentless mockery, and being made to feel different. To be practically _martyred_ for having been blessed with a good life at such a young age.

Why couldn't Elyon just leave her alone, and let Hay Lin be herself, the way she _used_ to be before moving back to Heatherfield? Was that so wrong, to want to be accepted?

_How could she actually believe that I'd make up something so traumatizing as getting robbed? And for __attention__? I bet I'd have to be near death before she'd __ever__ cut me any slack_, Hay Lin thought to herself sadly, tears continually falling rapidly down her swollen cheeks as she ran.

She knew she shouldn't have listened to Alchemy's prompting to get out of the house for some fresh air. She wasn't ready to do that, so soon after her ordeal, but she also couldn't take being cooked up inside of her bedroom for any longer, either. And after having had to give as detailed a description as she could of her attacker, and what had transpired between them to the police, it was all Hay Lin could take.

Still, she should have just stayed inside, where she would have been safe and sound, and far away from the Burger Joint _and_ the merciless Elyon Brown. Now, she could never show her face at school ever again, let alone at that restaurant.

This was the final straw. As much as she didn't want to, Hay Lin was beginning to think that she would very well _have_ to let her parents know that she was miserable being back home, and wanted to go back to Dijon as soon as possible, preferably _yesterday_. . . .

_I just can't __take__ this constant abuse anymore! It was a mistake to come back!_ she pondered forlornly, turning a corner and heading towards what she could see in the distance to be the ocean, right when a voice began calling after her.

Or, at least she'd _thought_ she'd heard a voice calling after her. Hay Lin knew that Alchemy had been chasing after her for a while, immediately after having left the Burger Joint in abashment, but she'd never slowed down to allow the other girl to catch up to her.

She just wanted to be alone.

And after several miles later, with no longer hearing the girl's familiar voice shouting out her name, pleading over and over for her to stop and talk to her, Hay Lin had merely assumed that Alchemy had either given up or had lost her within the crowd.

So, who was calling out for her, now? It didn't sound like her friend, and she knew for fact that it couldn't have been anyone else from the Burger Joint who had followed after her to see that she was _all right_, anyway, because everyone else in both that establishment as well as city didn't like her.

Who could it be?

_Well, I'm not going to slow down to find out, and be tricked and humiliated even more when I realize that it's just one of Elyon or Cornelia's henchmen, sent after me to mock me some more_, the raven haired girl thought in paranoia, quickening her pace with a strength she never thought she had.

"Go away, and leave me alone! I know Elyon sent you after me, and I'm not going to fall for any of your ga -- _Ahh!!_" Hay Lin began, blindly shouting back towards the individual who continued to tail after her as she raised both of her hands to wipe at her tear stained face, before abruptly losing her balance and falling down an unexpected, steep hill.

After tumbling for what felt like ages, Hay Lin at last felt herself stop, eyes glued shut and afraid to move her body, lest she'd found that she'd broken any part of it. However, the moment that she then heard that same voice from before continuing to call after her, this time in what sounded more like surprised shock, she didn't hesitate to pop open her brown eyes and scramble to her feet.

The last thing Hay Lin needed was to add further mortification to her already horrific day.

Feeling a bit disoriented, her lungs now desperately on fire, she gathered what little strength she had left and continued to run, this time on what looked like a deserted, hidden beach.

_I need some place to hide! Some place to lay low for a while until this creep leaves and I can go home! _Hay Lin frantically thought, surveying the small, abandoned beach for anything that might be able to temporarily shield her from her pursuer's view.

But there was nothing. Nothing but sand, scattered seashells, and the vast, open sea. And although she could swim, she was far too exhausted by that point to attempt to dive in and duck underwater until the coast was clear.

No. No, there _had_ to be something, some place that could --

"_There!_ Yes!" Hay Lin suddenly cried out loud, feeling hopeful and ecstatic to spot an upcoming series of rocks, and what looked like a cave opening in the near distance. "I hope there aren't any _bears_ or anything _else_ living in there!"

No, that was silly. There _weren't_ any wild animals like that in Heatherfield -- At least, not since the last time she lived there, anyhow. But she would have rather contended with a giant Grizzly right then and there, than have to put up with another minute of ridicule from any friends of Elyon and Cornelia's.

Regardless, this cave would have to act as her shelter until she felt it was safe enough to go home . . . assuming she wasn't now too lost to find her way back, that is.

* * *

"Yeah, yeah _yeah!_ Almost there, Champ! Finish with a _bang!_"

Fifteen-year-old Cornelia Hale couldn't help but to broaden the confident smile she previously held upon her peaches and cream visage, as she listened to her figure skating coach of ten years, Jarek Lipka, energetically coach from the sidelines of Bay Holiday, a beach resort that also housed an outdoor ice skating rink where he and the young blonde would meet every week for practice.

Even though he was fourteen years her senior and treated her like a kid sister more than anything else, those two obstacles did very little to deter Cornelia from having developed quite the strong feelings for the man . . . especially whenever he was quite pleased with her progress while learning new skating program routines for their next competition, as he was right at that very moment.

Because it was then that that Poland native's beautiful, bondi blue colored eyes would twinkle underneath his wavy, medium length and sun kissed fallow colored hair with esteemed pride for his star pupil, and his brilliantly white, shiny and perfect teeth would gleam all for her.

It was enough to make the poor girl go insane. Or worse, lose her concentration.

_And we wouldn't want that, now would we? Especially since I'm Heatherfield's fantastic and number one figure skating champion, six years running. That, and Jarek and nearly half of my fellow schoolmates are all watching me right now_, the blue eyed beauty thought a bit arrogantly to herself as she gracefully sailed across the frozen ice backwards, rearing herself up to perform a toe pick jump takeoff in order to execute her last set of jumps left within her routine.

With a deep, focused breath, Cornelia narrowed her eyes right as she took off from the back outside edge of her left foot, after having launched her entire body up into the air by use of the right toe pick of her skate, and, on bated breath from Jarek and the rest of his fellow onlookers, performed what was referred to as a Triple Lutz jump with expert precision.

"_Yeah! _That's the way, Cornelia, that's the way!" Cornelia could vaguely hear Jarek exclaim in esteemed support over the aria that continued to play through the outdoor speakers, while her schoolmates and obvious fans cheered with glee, before she pooled the rest of her concentration into the rest of her combination jump techniques.

Before losing too much momentum that she had started for herself with the Lutz, Cornelia swiftly and flawlessly executed a Triple Loop jump, one that was considered to be relatively difficult but more so tricky to perform in terms of health, as if performed incorrectly could result in serious short or long term hip injury.

"Wha --?? What was _that? _No! _Double Toe_ loop, not _Triple_ _Loop_, Cornelia!" Jarek shouted out his blatant surprise and disapproval of the jump, something that honestly befuddled a lot of the other spectators, as both they and he watched his decade long skater complete her program with a series of simple, yet elegant spins.

Cornelia frowned deeply with a heavy, tired, although still pretty satisfied sigh, after waiting for the final note of the classical music to fade and become a distant echo within the open atmosphere so that she could release herself from her final pose.

_Great. How embarrassing. Now he's going to storm onto the ice and "reprimand" me for shaking things up a bit_, she silently reflected in slight annoyance, before taking several curtsies of appreciation for the applause she was now receiving from her schoolmates and other ice skaters, professional and otherwise, who were then beginning to come out onto the ice now that she had finished.

Sure enough, Jarek, without bothering to put on his own pair of black ice skates he usually brought with him to each practice, in case wishing to personally demonstrate a new technique to the younger pupil, hurriedly walked across the ice in his pair of sneakers and swiftly closed the distance between the two of them without slipping.

"What _was_ that??" was all he uttered in expectant inquiry yet again, his naturally tanned and handsome face now marred by the set scowl he held upon it while gazing at the blonde teenager before him.

Cornelia, not wishing to further cause a scene, as the once vaguely vacant ice was now becoming swiftly packed with numerous skaters who'd glide past the sedentary pair, merely forced a gentle, mock-naïve smile upon her own face in response.

"What was _what_, Jare?" she replied with a query of her own, referring to her coach and crush by the little nickname she'd adopted for him, ever since first realizing she'd harbored romantic feelings for him three years ago. She then gently skated past him without waiting for an answer, resting both of her hands upon the hips of her black leotard tights while trying to catch her breath, as she lazily sailed the rest of the way to the sidelines to remove her skates.

"H-Hey! Get _back_ here!" Jarek called after the retreating girl with increased vexation, succeeding in doing what Cornelia had been wanting to avoid, by making a couple of passersby turn their attention onto him in curiosity for a couple moments.

"Wonderful. _Now_ they're going to think that my coach is some sort of psychotic, temperamental _Drill Sergeant_ or something," Cornelia muttered to herself in abashment, as she knelt forward to place one of her skate guards onto the golden blade of her ice skates in order to walk properly after getting off of the ice, before doing the same for the other.

"What were you thinking, huh? Do you have _any_ idea how _stupid _that was to change up the routine like that, and _so _close to competition??" Jarek quietly hissed against Cornelia's ear from behind as he approached, tickling the back of her neck and causing her to shiver in the process.

Too bad for her, though, it wasn't a pleasant sensation at that given moment. She hated being chewed out by the young gentleman -- Chewed out, period, really – crush, or no crush. Because, above all else, he was her friend, and she respected him greatly, so it bothered Cornelia to know that she might have disappointed him in any way -- Something that thankfully did not occur all too often, given her skating expertise.

Regardless, it was something she tried to dissuade at all costs, which was one of the many reasons she routinely pushed herself to be the best.

_That, and as sweet as he generally is, his temper __can__ be pretty fierce if something doesn't go exactly his way_, the Heatherfield born teenager thought to herself with a growing pout, before straightening her posture after finished placing both guards onto her sharp blades.

"Look . . . I know it was a bit risky, yeah, but I nailed it, didn't I?" Cornelia tried to reason in attempts to calm down the perturbed man before her, idly tossing her long, blonde ponytail over her shoulder. "We both knew I would, not to mention that it didn't hurt the crowd to have witnessed it, either."

"That's _not_ the point! For the last month, we've been practicing, and _re_-practicing this routine -- A very _intricate_ one, I might add -- until it's been practically _beaten_ over your head to ensure everything is _flawless!_" Jarek responded, folding his arms across his chest as he led the way to the bench that housed all of their belongings. Although he seemed a bit calmer by that point, the continued frown upon his visage did little to dissipate. "And after a few rocky practices, it finally _has_ become perfect -- For the last two weeks! And _now_, with only a couple of days left before competition, you want to risk injuring yourself by _deviating_ from the set program and throwing in a three-three combo?? I can't _begin_ to tell you how _asinine_ that was of you, 'Nelia!"

"Uh, I think you already have just fine there, Jare, _thanks_," Cornelia remarked bitterly as she took a seat upon the bench, drawing her right leg up against her chest to untie the laces of her ice skates to begin removing them from her feet.

If it weren't for the fact that she absolutely adored the little pet name Jarek had bestowed onto _her,_ ever since he'd first known her (one that Cornelia, herself, had inadvertently created, primarily due to the fact that she had been unable to properly pronounce her full name when she was a young child, an observation Jarek had found endearing), as well as for the fact that she was also then beginning to focus more upon his accent now that she no longer needed to concentrate upon her skating, Cornelia might have allowed her _own notorious_ temper to flare up right at that moment for the man's continued scolding.

Instead, however, she merely peered up at him from her seat with a look she had been recently perfecting, as a simultaneous way to get out of tense moments such as these, in addition to getting him to notice her as something more than his pupil and comrade . . . even though she knew full well that it could and _would_ most certainly lead to severe jail time for the young man if he had ever one day managed to.

Slowly licking her soft pink tinted lips before fixing them into a small, but visible pucker as a way to draw attention to them, Cornelia then raised her delicate eyebrows up slightly to look as though saddened, before slowly batting her long eyelashes at Jarek and hoping he'd take the bait.

Sure enough, the young blonde looked on with satisfaction as Jarek's once tense looking appearance faded into one of returned relaxation, unfolding his arms from his muscular chest.

"Aww, come on, now. Don't give me that cute, little puppy dog face, again, Champ; you've been doing that a lot lately, I've noticed, and it _sadly_ keeps working to sway me back onto your side whenever I might be upset with you -- Like right _now_, for example," he said in a much calmer, happier voice, a small, but growing smile breaking through the grimace he'd held upon his face for what felt like ages to Cornelia.

Y_eah, but too bad it never seems to work in the additional way I want it to_, she mused, rolling her ice blue eyes a moment as her coach gently patted her upon the head as though five-years-old once again.

"All right, all right! I'm not mad, okay? Just upset. You could have really hurt yourself if you'd messed up on the loop. Just because you're good, doesn't mean you're above the laws of gravity, 'Nelia -- Double, I repeat, _Double_ Toe Loop next time, eh?"

"Hey, hey! Watch the_ hair!_ No messing with the merchandise!" Cornelia gaily joked, playfully swatting at Jarek's strong hand with one of her own, and pulling him to sit down next to her with the other. "You win, okay? I just wanted to see if I could manage it. Now that I have, maybe _next_ time I'll attempt the ever difficult _Quadruple_ Loop! _Kidding!_ Don't give me _that_ look! Look, I get it; you don't want anything blowing my chance of taking the gold, I know. Neither do I, _trust_ me -- And nothing will."

Jarek smiled warmly at this, wrapping a well toned arm around Cornelia, succeeding in both surprising her, as well as making her swoon inwardly. It may not have been a kiss she would always secretly hope for, but it wasn't that bad a consolation prize, either.

"Glad to hear it, Champ, but it goes beyond that, and you know it," he started, causing the blonde next to him to raise an eyebrow in perplexity in the process. "Yeah. You know that I'd never forgive myself if you ever hurt yourself out there -- Myself, _or_ your folks, for that matter. Remember how upset they had been when you broke your wrist when I first became your coach? They nearly had my _head_, calling me an 'inexperienced _hack_ of a coach,' who was trying to get their only daughter _killed_."

Cornelia softly giggled at the memory.

"Yeah, okay, but to be fair, I _was_ only five and a half at the time, and just starting to learn ice skating. I was too eager to get started on all of the jumps and spins, when I couldn't even properly _glide_ yet. _And_, my parents were just being the doting, overprotective parents they've _always_ been; they love you _now_, don't they? Besides, now that annoying little _Lilian's_ around, they no longer worry about 'losing their _only_ daughter," she said with a small grimace in reflection to her final remark, thinking of her bratty, ever the thorn in her side seven-year-old little sister.

"Who apparently wants me to be what she brings in for 'Show-n-Tell' next week for her class, by the way, as she told me last week when you had to bring her with you to practice because her dance class had been canceled," Jarek said with a grin, knowing this news would be quite unsettling to his student, as he watched her immediately tense up while taking off her other skate.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me! Wait 'till I get my hands on her!" she growled, no longer caring if her temper at last surfaced. They both were keenly aware of how much of a button pusher Lilian could be for Cornelia on a habitual basis.

Jarek chuckled, gently squeezing the girl's arm for a moment, before rising from his seat.

"It's just a little crush, that's all, Cornelia -- Puppy Love. I'm sure _you've_ experienced that for other people once or twice when you were her age, yeah? It's no big deal," he said, watching Cornelia slip her well pedicured feet into the pink colored thong slippers she'd pulled from out of her soft gold colored duffel bag. She quickly reached up and pulled her hair from out of her ponytail, in desperate attempt to mask, with her long, now free locks, the growing blush that was then beginning to kiss her flawless cheeks.

"You know, it's been so long, I can't honestly recall anymore? Oh, well!" she hastily brushed off while keeping her gaze towards the ground, praying the object of her affection wouldn't push the issue. True, she'd been lately trying her best to finally make the man aware of her seemingly unrequited love for him, by enacting subtle hints or a bit of shameless flirting here and there, but it didn't mean she wanted to be put on the spot like that -- Not especially with references to childish infatuations, or, not to mention her looking the way she did right then, hair slightly a mess and body gently glistening with sweat.

She needed a little bit more time and well thought out tact before she would let Jarek know _anything_.

Thankfully enough, however, he didn't further press the issue, as he merely cleared his throat, Cornelia could hear, before smiling at her as she stood from her seat as well.

"Well, _I_ think it's adorable, all the same. And she'll get over it _and_ me pretty soon, and move onto her next, more conquerable -- And certainly more _age_ appropriate -- conquest, I'm sure. _Anyhow!_ Back to business! That's all for practice today, I will definitely say, since we managed to cover everything I'd wanted to, with time to spare. And _even_ fit in _three_ run-throughs of your program in its entirety. All in all, not bad for a hard day's work!" Jarek complimented with another smile, bending down to retrieve his own, gray duffel bag from off of the bench. "Now, I want you to take it easy for the next couple of days -- No overexerting yourself, _or_ practicing on your own for _too_ long, as I know you sometimes are prone to do. All right? I'll be away until then, visiting a friend of mine over in Sacramento, so I won't be here in person to _yell_ at you again if you disobey me."

"I won't, I promise. I plan to _win_, as _always_, after all," Cornelia delivered with her usual, overabundant confidence, although the smile upon her face had wavered a bit at the news that her coach would be out of town. Granted, this wasn't the first time Jarek had done so, either for business or for pleasure, but it had yet to become a pass time of his that Cornelia could readily tolerate . . . even _if_ she now had school to contend with again, and thus would have less time to try to hang out with him as a result, anyhow.

Jarek gave a quick wink and hug to the fair haired teenager, before beginning to walk away.

"Attagirl! Then I'll see you in a few days -- _Two_ days before competition, to be more specific, _and_ on the safe side, all right? And when I get back, I have a surprise for you. . . ." he mysteriously trailed off with an excited smile upon his face, before he turned and continued to walk off the premises.

Cornelia could only stare after the retreating young man in utter confusion.

Surprise? _What_ surprise? And for her? Usually, the main types of surprises Jarek would ever bestow upon her were either for her birthday, or new skating equipment of some kind. But _this_ one could not have entailed either, as Cornelia's birthday wasn't until May, and it was only the beginning of September right then, and all of her equipment and skates were still in pretty good condition.

So, what could this be about? Maybe. . . .

"Maybe he's got a nice, romantic dinner planned for just the two of us after I win the competition! No, no . . . that might be a little bit over the top, and would _certainly_ raise unwanted suspicion among the community about us," Cornelia thought aloud to herself, following the man in question's lead as she too then began to slowly walk away from the ice skating rink to head towards her usually awaiting family limo in the parking lot in the distance. "Still . . . maybe he wants to let me know that he's caught onto all of the hints I've been giving him to let him know that I like him, and wants to say he feels the same. Oh, this is going to be fantastic! This _totally_ calls for an emergency shopping spree! But, first! Gotta go home and shower . . . _ugh_, do I reek. . . ."

"Cornelia! H-Hey, Cornelia! You were awesome, as always! You're going to take first place, for sure!" the lithe figure skater could suddenly hear one voice in particular calling after her, amongst the multitude of those who were still ice skating from behind her.

Cornelia let out a heavy groan as she regrettably turned around, already recognizing to whom the voice belonged.

It was Jayne Whitley, a fellow Heatherfield High School sophomore -- Which was about the _only_ thing both she and Cornelia shared in common, and thankfully so, in the blonde's opinion.

Because Jayne, to put it quite simply, was a _geek_.

Especially with her typically chaotic, shoulder length, ashblonde hair that was always partially hidden beneath the would-be-cute-if-it-weren't-so-bulky-and-ratty-looking gray knitted cap with the large and fake pink Carnation on the side. Or the purple framed, cat eye shaped eyeglasses (the same shape as Cornelia's own mother, sadly) that took up most of her otherwise small, oval shaped face and obscured her hazel eyes, the sole feature she had that was actually slightly appealing.

_Or_, and most insidious in Cornelia's opinion, the fact that Jayne would always, _always_ have on the same, old off white sweater jacket, regardless of how hot it routinely would get outside, _or_ how dirty the apparel would most assuredly get over time.

The girl was a pure _eyesore_, and someone Cornelia habitually made an avid point to steer clear of whenever in public. After all, the two walked within completely different circles, what with Jayne being into such activities like chess, roleplaying, and stamp collecting, while Cornelia was the most popular girl in their school, _and_ all of Heatherfield, period.

The _last_ thing she needed was her reputation for having great, flawless taste in nearly everything she pursued to be muddied up by the likes of this egghead.

Still. . . .

"Since you've caught me on a day when I'm feeling pretty generous, bookworm, I'll humor you by allowing you one minute of my precious time," Cornelia remarked within a purposely jaded manner, glaring at the already cowering, smaller girl before her.

"W-W-Well, I was just wondering -- W-Well, I am _hoping_, I mean, that you wouldn't mind if I took your picture for next week's issue of_ The Heatherfield Tribune_?" Jayne managed to squeak out, fighting past the onset of fierce stuttering the more glamorous girl had brought on within her due to intimidation. "It's the first issue for the new school year, you know, and I just joined the staff as a photographer, and was hoping I could take a couple of still shots of you? I-I mean, I already did while you were out there -- Even managed to get that big jump thing you did, too . . . w-well, at least I _think_ I did. I'm still getting used to this high tech camera. . . . So, will you?"

Cornelia let out a purposeful yawn to illustrate her boredom right then, lazily gazing down at her immaculate fingernails as she responded.

"Now, why would _I_ know or _care_, for that matter, that our dorky little newspaper is having 'the first issue for the new school year' come out next week? I can't be bothered to remember the trivial activities of you 'little people,'" she replied, tossing her hair over her shoulder in a dismissive manner after looking back at a now furiously blushing Jayne. "And even though I still look _way_ better than _you_ do right now, even _with_ having just completed a very vigorous practice, I'm going to have to decline -- At least, for the moment, anyhow. I need to get home and get back to my normally glamorous self -- Not that I don't look _totally_ glam right now, of course. But, no. No, I'm going to have to say no, 'Brainiac,' and have you wait until competition to take _extra_ photos of me to play catch up for the bumbling mistakes you've _undoubtedly_ made today due to your incompetence. Later, _mouthbreather._"

Without awaiting a response from the now visibly distraught girl, Cornelia abruptly turned on her heel and walked the rest of the way down the hill and towards the parking lot, a small, but satisfied smile radiating upon her fair visage.

_All in a day's work, for sure_, she thought with glorified relish, gracefully striding down the hill and generously waving at a few passersby she'd recognized to be more fellow schoolmates and adoring fans of hers. _Sometimes I swear I should be getting __paid__ to be this popular and well liked by so many people, not that I need the money, already being so rich and all -- The need for my attention is endless!_

Gently giggling to herself at the thought, Cornelia abruptly cut herself off the moment she'd stepped onto the parking lot and saw that her limo was not there, waiting for her as always. Instantly growing more than just a bit irritated, the wealthy blonde immediately began digging into her duffel bag to fish out her cellphone and call her family's housekeeper for their expansive penthouse, Glenys, to see what was going on.

"Hello, Hale residence?" Cornelia heard the middle aged woman answer over the other end after the third ring once the number had been dialed.

"Yes, Glenys, it's me, Cornelia," the cornflower haired girl said in hurried aggravation and superior air, rubbing her forehead vigorously in a soothing manner. "I've just finished my skating practice, and I'm standing here, in the parking lot like some _lunatic_, wondering why _Marshall_ isn't already here, as well, with the limo!"

Cornelia could hear the Hale employee of eight years exhale at this, although apparently still careful enough to do it away from the receiver, as it sounded a bit distant. It was no secret that Glenys wasn't particularly well liked by Cornelia, and that, on occasion, it seemed as though the feeling might have been mutual, though the older woman was clearly meticulous never to reveal any such sentiment, for the obvious fear of possibly losing her job over it.

In either case, it didn't really matter to the young socialite, as both Glenys and Marshall, the family's chauffeur, were merely servants, and were paid to do precisely that, _not_ to be made into a new friend.

"I'm terribly sorry to hear that, Miss Cornelia. But you have apparently finished practice a half an hour earlier than usual, from what I can see by my watch, and, as you know, today is _also_ Lilian's ballet practice. I'm quite positive that is where Marshall is right now, picking your little sister up and dropping her off here, before coming over to get you . . . since he knows how much you two both . . . _prefer_ to ride in the limo at separate times, of course, never minding how expensive the gas is nowadays, _or_ how much of it is wasted to make two trips like that each week," Glenys mumbled the last bit to herself, although Cornelia still managed to catch it, her ire rising all the more for it as she looked down at her wristwatch to realize that the other woman was correct in the time.

How dare she, a lowly housemaid, catch an attitude with someone as important as Cornelia? She would have to remember this insubordination the next time Glenys would wish to, yet again, discuss an increase within her paycheck with Cornelia's father, Harold.

In the meantime, however, the growing headache she was then beginning to feel forming and throbbing against her temples was urging her to hang up the phone as soon as possible, especially at the mention of her sister.

"Argh! _Of_ course! Now, I'm going to have to wait around here, like a _reject_, while Marshall makes sure my _precious_ baby sister gets home safe and sound?? My father _definitely_ needs to hire _two_ chauffeurs, and soon! We can afford it!!" she growled into her cellphone, pacing back and forth within the relatively car packed parking lot.

It was true, after all, and not just a boastful comment. Cornelia's family was _quite_ wealthy, indeed, courtesy of her father's bank, _Bank of Tomorrow_, that was now, as of last year, among the top fifty leading bank franchises within the country. So it wasn't that much of a stretch to want to put in a request for another limousine driver, so in that way each of Mr. Hale's daughters could have her _own_ driver, rather than having to wait for whenever the only one the Hale family currently had was available.

"Well, Miss Cornelia, until that's decided, perhaps it couldn't hurt to simply _walk_ home? After all, Bay Holiday's _only_ a mere ten minutes away from the penthouse. See you, then," Glenys suggested with distinct amusement within her voice, before promptly hanging up the phone.

Cornelia stared at her cellphone in utter bewilderment after she pulled it away from her ear, listening to the dial tone that began to reverberate into the nearby atmosphere.

"_Walk??_ Is she _nuts??_ I'm up for a good power walk every now and again, but to do so _now_, when it's nearly eighty-eight degrees out here and rising, it seems, and I've just finished a very extensive workout? No, thank you!" she cried to herself in complete vexation and disgust, closing up her phone and putting it back into her bag with one hand, while beginning to fan her increasingly heated body with the other. She paused for a moment as she turned back around, and looked towards the direction of the beach, where a lot of people were either lounging about in the sand, surfing or swimming within the grand ocean. "Hmm . . . that sure looks relaxing. But too bad I don't know how to swim, or else I'd go in for a quick dip right here and now. . . . I can't believe I _still_ haven't bothered to learn after all this time!"

_Well, mainly because I admittedly am not a big fan of water, actually_, the lone teenager silently reflected as an afterthought, a fact she never had admitted to anyone, not even to her best friend, Elyon Brown, with whom she shared nearly all of her secrets and vice versa.

Then it hit her.

"_Elyon!_ I'll just call her and see if she and _her_ chauffeur can't come pick me up! Her art lesson was finished about an hour ago, I think, so she's probably just hanging around her house or out somewhere right now," Cornelia murmured to herself with a relieved smile at the realization that she wouldn't have to walk home, after all, calming down a bit as she reached back into her duffel bag once more for her cellphone.

She blinked a couple of times within an incredulous manner, once her blue eyes met with the device once again and saw that the battery was dead.

_What?? __Dead__?? How's this thing dead already?? I could've sworn I remembered to charge it last night!_ Cornelia thought in renewed anger, squeezing the now useless contraption within her hands in frustration before carelessly tossing it back into her bag. _Although . . . I might have overused it today, when me and Ellie kept texting back and forth in History class, over how ridiculous Mr. Woodson's toupee is. And then again later on at lunch, about how Susie Johnson broke up with her boyfriend, Todd Mackaroy over the summer for the new lifeguard who works over at the Rec Center. . . ._

"_Damn_ it! Sometimes, although not _all_ of the time, it can be a real _pain_ to be popular!" the blonde exhaled gruffly, slapping a firm hand to her forehead in further exasperation, just as a new, unfamiliar voice sounded from behind her and startled her in the process.

"What's this about popular pains? Is that like some sort of hip new slang you California kiddies are using these days?"

Cornelia whirled around to see a vaguely tall, although quite slender, as well as well toned and generously tanned brunette standing before her, in a forest and turquoise colored sliding triangle top and string bottom bikini that effortlessly matched her sparkling eyes.

In both of her hands was an ocean decorated and moist looking surfboard that matched her own wet and dripping body, as she continued to stand there with a small, but warm smirk upon her face that almost reminded Cornelia of Jarek, and made her heart jump to realize this.

In fact, this girl could have honestly passed as the female version of the blonde's figure skating coach, if not his unknown and long lost younger sister. Well, except for the hair, which was more of a caramel and darker shade than Jarek's, and the apparent lack of dimples, which Jarek most certainly had and made Cornelia always grow weak at the knees to witness each time.

_But why am I even bothering to compare the two of them like this for, anyway? I don't even __know__ this person, nor care to! s_he thought with an emitted scoff towards the awaiting teenager before her, who raised an eyebrow in confusion at the sound. _Unless . . . maybe she really __is__ Jarek's long lost sister, and __she's__ the surprise he was planning to spring on me! I've gotta look into this!_

"I, uh . . . n-no! No, it _isn't_ some sort of stupid slang. And even if it was, _I_ wouldn't be caught dead using it," Cornelia replied with a roll of her blue eyes, folding her arms across her chest as she found herself, for some reason, trying not to look at the other girl's.

"Ah, I get it. You're one of those snooty, haughty type of girls who like, rules the world? Well, at least the world within the walls of whatever high school you go to, right? I can respect that, I guess. I mean, everybody's gotta have something to be good at," the unknown young woman said with a nonchalant air, her smile growing as she gave a small shrug.

"_Excuse_ me? And I suppose _you're_ just one of those beach bum, typical laid back and cool surfer chicks then, huh? Did you have fun 'Losing Ten' out there, or _whatever_ it's called??" Cornelia inquired in obvious insult, although the brunette merely maintained the simper she had upon her flawless countenance.

In fact, she mysteriously began to chuckle at this, which only caused Cornelia's previous bedevilment of not having a ride home at the ready accumulate even more.

"What's so _funny??_ Do you have _any_ idea who I am, laughing at me like this?? Clearly not, _especially_ with not _already_ realizing that yes, I _do_ run my high school, which I'm going to assume you don't go to -- I'd _definitely_ remember your face," she remarked bitterly, her cheeks curiously beginning to flush as she reflected upon the last statement.

"I'm not laughing at _you_, hon, but at what you just said before. It's '_Hanging_ Ten,' not '_Losing_ Ten.' Y'know, as in hanging all ten toes over the edge of your surfboard when out there riding the wave, and putting two 'high fives' in the air as a way to celebrate this pretty difficult feat? I'm guessing you don't do a lot of surfing, yourself, or have many friends who do, because I've _never_ heard anyone with even the tiniest bit of knowledge to the sport _ever_ say anything so _dumb_," the no-name teenager explained after having calmed down a bit.

"_Dumb??_ How _dare_ you! Now I know for _sure_ that you _don't_ go to my school, because no one in their right _mind_ would _ever_ dream of thinking, let alone actually going ahead with calling me _or_ anything I say '_dumb!_'" Cornelia hissed in astonishment, silently praying that this girl really _wasn't_ Jarek's relative, because she was finding her increasingly uncouth and bothersome. Imagine what it would look like for the blonde, Jarek's future bride, to not wish to invite the other girl to her own brother's wedding one day in the future, out of pure distaste. "And of _course_ I don't surf _or_ have friends who do! And I would _hardly_ call it a sport! What's so complicated or organized about it that it would warrant such a title? All you do is go into the water and paddle on one of those rinky-dinky little boards, like the one you have in your hands, and try not to _drown!_ Hardly rocket science! Although, that's probably _why_ you're clearly into it, I'm sure."

"_Woo! _Quite the mouth you got on you there, girlie! Remind me to _pray_ that we're never caught within a life or death situation together, or else I'm _screwed!_" the copper haired girl spoke with exaggerated sarcasm, the glamorous smile she'd kept upon her face up until then now beginning to falter a bit, as her formerly relaxed and inviting cyan eyes reflected a bit of offense. "Can't believe someone like you _has_ friends, anyhow, with _that_ attitude -- Are you _sure_ they're really your friends, and not just terrified of getting shot out of a _cannon _by you or something one day? _Geez_. Well, _anyway_, yes, surfing _is_ a sport, baby-cakes, and is quite complex as well as tasking. _I_ should know. I've been doing it practically ever since I could walk, and used to compete within a lot of regional competitions up until recently, back when I used to live in Australia with my mom for eight years -- Ya know, before she and my dad patched things up, got remarried when I was twelve-years-old, after another eight years of being apart, and then passed away just a year and a half later. . . . So, thank _you_, for bringing up such a _wonderful_ memory for me!"

Cornelia didn't know what to say to that, it was too . . . out of _no_ where and depressing all at once. One minute, this girl was cheerful, albeit bothersome to the blonde, true, and then the _next,_ she was suddenly feeding her a sob story that was neither asked for nor cared about!

Talk about bipolar.

"Uh . . . I, uh, I don't --"

"-- Just kidding! Well, about the memory of my mother's untimely death being 'wonderful,' which it's not, of course. But I'm pretty sure someone like _you_ can't understand the concept of sarcasm," the unnamed female before her interrupted with a faint, sad smile, her eyes growing a bit tired and distant for a moment. ". . . . It was a long time ago, though, anyway, so I don't suppose it bothers me much anymore, right? Which is most likely why I was so willing to spill the beans to you, a complete stranger, like that. And, I know for sure that you don't care in the slightest, _either_, so it's a win-win. But you were confused as to how anyone on this God-given planet couldn't _possibly_ know who you were, and so I'm telling you, free of charge. Name's Irma, by the way, and I just moved here at the end of last June with the old man, _his_ old _lady_ -- Also known as my new stepmother -- and half-technically-also-stepbrother, when my pops landed a gig as Heatherfield Police's new lead detective. A _displeasure_ to make your acquaintance, mate!"

"Yeah, okay. _Wow_, that was quite the mouthful, and _unwanted_ personal sharing," Cornelia avowed with an unimpressed raise of her golden eyebrow, raising a finger to gently scratch at her head. "And yeah, you're most definitely right: I _didn't_ care to know about your life story. But since you have, _anyway_, quick question: Do you have a _last_ name, or no, and if _so_, does it happen to be 'Lipka?' Oh, and if you're originally from Australia, where's the accent and a bunch of 'G'day, mate's' being slung my way?"

The mysterious brunette now known to be named Irma laughed softly upon hearing this, shaking her head in disbelief as she reached up and tucked a couple strands of her water slicked back, chin length locks behind her ear.

"Boy, you really are one for _stereotypes_, aren'tcha, missy?? You're definitely on a roll with them _today_, at least. No, my last name's _not_ 'Lipka,' although it does still begin with the letter 'L;' it's Lair. I'm honored you care enough to know about _that_, at least, Your Highness -- Probably just to add me to your 'Hate List' for later, no doubt. And I don't have the Australian accent because, hey! Guess what? I'm _not_ Australian! I was born in Maine and lived there up until my parents' divorce when I was four, then later moved over to Australia with my mother -- Who _was_ Australian, thanks -- after finalizing custody agreements. . . . Why'd you think my last name was '_Lipka_,' anyway?"

Cornelia instantly blushed, silently cursing herself for doing so, although simultaneously pleased beyond belief that this loudmouthed girl was seemingly _not_ related to her beloved Jarek in the slightest, after all.

"Um . . . n-no reason, no reason. Well, _anyway!_ This has been real fun -- _Not_, but I'm going to go head home now! Just finished my figure skating practice -- A _real_ sport, by the way -- and I'm satisfyingly beat! So if you'll _excuse_ me," she said, already turning around and swiftly making her way towards the resort exits, wishing to get as far away from Irma as possible, for a multitude of reasons.

And if it meant actually having to walk the ten minute trek to her penthouse, then so be it.

"Right! Well, nice -- Okay, maybe _not_ so nice -- meetin' ya, Blondie! Be sure to look me up over at my school, Delther Fae High, if ever you wanna _torture_ me some more about your deluded, high society life, 'kay? _Later!_" Irma called after the retreating girl with another chuckle at her expense, before turning and walking back towards the beach, her previous carefree disposition having obviously been restored.

"Tch . . . yeah, _right_. No _wonder_ that girl's insane -- She goes to that _reject_ school that's not even fit to be in Heatherfield High's _shadow_, let alone within the same league," Cornelia muttered to herself, turning a corner after already having left the resort premises. "If I _ever_ see that surf bum again, it'll be too _soon_. Her lameness reminds me of that _Lin_ girl, or even that stupid _Will Vandom_, who thinks she's above it all. . . ."

Cornelia couldn't stand either girl, or _any_ girl, really, who might have had the audacity to believe that she might be better than Cornelia, Elyon, or anyone who ran within both girls' circles. Popularity didn't just grow overnight; it took time to be cultivated and meticulously manufactured among the masses in order to keep a firm stronghold over them -- To keep them _worshiping_ every move made.

And after nearly nine years of being Heatherfield's number one "It Girl," with Elyon as a close second (who never _would_ have been otherwise, had the two not been friends since early childhood, thus making her popular by association; or, if both of their fathers hadn't also been close friends, themselves, since their Ivy League days), there was no way that Cornelia was ever going to allow a couple of newbies move in on her territory and usurp her throne.

_Thank goodness everyone takes my "royal decrees" seriously, or else the new girl wouldn't be as alone and __miserable__ as she's been since the start of the school year_, she thought with a malicious smirk, while rounding another corner in her continued walk. _Now, there's still the pesky little fact that there are a couple of people who seem to want to hang on every word __Vandom__ makes, despite knowing how irritating that is to me, but I know it's only because she's a good swimmer or whatever . . . like that's really all that difficult. It's like Ellie always says about that girl: "Take away her so called 'fantastic' swimming, and she's just another loser like the __rest__ of them." So true. So very true. . . ._

Ten minutes had come and passed, with Cornelia still not yet having arrived home, and it would be another ten or so additional minutes before she'd began to realize this, as she had been too engrossed within her own mind.

". . . . Wait a second . . . where am I? This doesn't look like my neighborhood -- _God_, no, I'm pretty sure," she said once she finally realized what was going on and where she was (or rather, wasn't), stopping in her tracks in front of a slightly run down looking dollar store to gaze about her surroundings. "This looks more like _downtown_ Heatherfield, not the pristine and elegant uptown area where _I_ live . . . _ugh!_ How'd I end up _here? _I can't believe I don't even know the way to my own home! I have _got_ to start looking out the window of my limo more often, instead of always preoccupying myself with either my phone or the television that's inside. . . . All right. Let me just . . . try to backtrack here, or something. . . ."

After turning around and walking back the way she'd came for several minutes, and still could not recognize precisely where she was or how far she was from home, Cornelia threw down her duffel bag onto the sidewalk in frustration.

_Now I'm actually beginning to regret turning down taking up stupid Orienteering like my parents wanted me to when I was a kid, or else I'd be home by now_, she thought deplorably, clicking her tongue as she continued to look about her surroundings and shielding her eyes from the bright sun that was high in the sky as she looked up.

Then, she realized something.

Her penthouse overlooked the ocean, and also was only approximately ten minutes away, according to Glenys, from the Bay Holiday resort and beach where she'd just come from. And, from what she could see from where she was standing, she was still _near_ enough to the ocean and not too far inland!

"So I can't be that far away! All I have to do is maybe cut through _that_ alley that seemed to lead towards the shoreline, and follow it back _this_ way until I'm back home! _Or_, at least back to some place I can _recognize_," Cornelia murmured, feeling proud of herself for that observational deduction.

Picking up her duffel bag, the cornflower tressed girl began to break into a slow jog across the street and through the selected alleyway where she could vaguely make out the ocean from where she was. She'd only been running for a couple of minutes, however, before she could have sworn she heard someone say her friend's name to her right.

"Huh? Who was that?" she whispered, feeling both apprehensive as well as curious as to who could have been calling after Elyon. Although, this was certainly good news for her, because if Elyon was around here somewhere (though _why_, she could not, for the life of her, understand), then she was finally saved!

Then she saw it. Or _whom_, rather.

"Is that . . . is that _Vandom_ coming down this way? What's _she_ doing around here? Oh, wait, ask a stupid question -- She probably _lives_ in this shabby part of the city," Cornelia corrected herself with a tiny chuckle, quickly ducking back into the alley. Just because _Will_ might not have cared to be caught being seen dwelling around this part of Heatherfield, it didn't mean that _Cornelia_ wanted to be. "What is she _doing?_ Looks like she's . . . _chasing_ after something . . . or _someone_, rather. But who?"

Cornelia had been so preoccupied keeping her attention onto the red haired swimmer, that she hadn't even bothered to notice the tiny framed, sable tressed girl running well ahead of her, who'd already passed the blonde while mysteriously in hysterics.

"Go away, and leave me alone! I know Elyon sent you after me, and I'm not going to fall for any of your ga -- _Ahh!!_" the blonde socialite then heard the blubbering teenager shout into the atmosphere in between sobs, causing her to finally turn her head away from a very exasperated looking Will, just in time to witness the smaller girl vanish from sight.

One moment the girl had been running -- Blindly, as she'd, at that moment, foolishly raised both of her hands up to her face to frantically wipe away at her tears, but running nonetheless -- at a fast pace and heading towards a very dilapidated, shrouded, secluded looking area, and then the _next_ she was tumbling down what looked like to Cornelia to be a steep hill (that could and would have gone unnoticed, had it not been for the girl's unexpected trip).

"Ouch, that _had_ to hurt," she verbally mused, the mean streak inside of her coming forth, as she couldn't help but to lightly giggle at the unknown girl's expense. Although, she _did_ look awful familiar, now that she thought about it . . . and she did also seem to know Elyon, or at least someone with that same name. But _that_ was highly unlikely, as Cornelia's friend's name was quite the unique one, and through preschool up to now in high school, there had never been another girl with the same one.

So then, who. . . .?

"Oh, my _God! _H-Hay Lin! _Hay Lin!!_" Will abruptly interrupted Cornelia's thoughts as she whizzed by her in a crimson blur, causing her to gasp in surprise at the realization.

_Hay Lin?? _That girl who probably just fell to a _very_ tragic, very _messy_ death was _Hay Lin??_ What the heck was _she_ doing here, as _well_, and why was Will going after her? And why was she in tears and having Elyon's name come out of her mouth like that for, too?

Moreover, why did Cornelia even care?

She could have just walked away and continued on her journey, but her natural nosiness had been beyond peaked at that point, especially after she'd then watched Will bravely dive, with abandon, down the hill after the presumably injured girl.

_Eh. What's a couple of more minutes, right? At the __very__ least, this will make good lunch gossip conversation __for tomorrow with Elyon and the others_, Cornelia reflected with a small grin, leaving the alleyway once again, and swiftly crept across the distance towards the shrub-like area, where she had witnessed both girls she could not stand disappear behind.

* * *

_Ugh! What the hell is this girl doing?? Doesn't she get that I'm only trying to __help__?? _Will thought in aggravation while continuing to sprint after the smaller, dark hair girl, watching her dash across the lonely, hidden and small beach she had literally stumbled upon just moments before, in her hast to get as far away from the redhead as possible. _Oh, Lord, __please__ tell me she's not about to go into that cave. I may have gone after her to see if she was all right, but I'm not about to go risking my __life__ for her in a dark, dank cavern that could very well be home to __any__ sort of deviant -- __Especially__ when I've never been here before. . . ._

To Will's complete chagrin, however, that was precisely what Hay Lin did, as she watched the fleeing girl's dirtied and disheveled body immediately get swallowed up by the impenetrable darkness of the cave's entrance.

"Wonderful. That's just _freaking_ wonderful," she exhaled in defeat, resigning herself to her fate, as she knew that both her conscience as _well_ as Taranee, if she ever found out about all of this, would not let her have another moment's rest unless she went in after Hay Lin. "H-Hay Lin! Wait _up!_"

She couldn't believe this. One moment, she was minding her own business, having a nice outing with her friend, and then in the _next_ moment, she was about to wander aimlessly through a mysterious, certainly ominous looking cavern for someone she barely even knew.

Still, Will knew it was the right thing to do in the long run, as she couldn't stand it when Elyon and her posse had ganged up on the talented artist back at the Burger Joint. Although, she probably should have left well enough alone once she saw that Hay Lin's apparent friend, that russet haired girl who had been with her, had run after her.

_But then she had to go and already lose sight of Hay Lin, and __I__ had to go and open up my big __yap__ once I saw how miserable that girl looked that she had, and volunteer to help her look for her by splitting up_, the crimson haired teenager groaned inwardly in silent reflection, slowing down her pace as she neared the cave's entrance. _And lucky __me__, __I'm__ the one who managed to catch up to and find her. Some celebration __this__ turned out to be, for sure. . . ._

Taking a deep breath while looking straight ahead into the darkened, open mouth of the rocky chamber, Will reached down with her left hand and blindly fumbled around upon the hip of her jean shorts for the red colored key chain attached to it, knowing that, in addition to her house keys and key to her swimming gear locker back at the Rec Center, there was a mini flashlight upon it, as well.

It wasn't much of a light source, but it would have to suffice until she got in, found Hay Lin in one piece, and swiftly got the them both out.

"Well, here goes nothing," she said to herself softly, trying to muster up enough courage as she took a wary step forward into the cave, and into the unknown.

**-- End of Chapter Five**

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**(A.N. Aww, boo, I know. "What happens next?? Nooo, don't leave me hanging!!" I know, right? What a mean person I am. LoL I SERIOUSLY was going to go on beyond this, but when I saw this was pushing fourteen pages, I said nah. That's long enough for this one. But at least now all the girls are together, right? I TOLD you they would be. LoL AND that you'd get to "meet" Irma, finally. Woo! I made her all hot and stuff and a surfer babe. LoL What is this, "Blue Crush?" LoL And I know, what a blabbermouth to just suddenly let Corny in on her personal life history like that. LoL Maybe I did that for a reason? Or, maybe I was lazy, who knows? But I BETTER not hear complaining, or nitpicking, rather, from a certain person about that. . . . Bleh. LoL Oh, right. And Irma's school where she goes, Delther Fae, was just me being lazy and creating a semi-imitation anagram from the word "Heatherfield," although I didn't use every last letter – Hence it being a "semi-imitation" anagram. Meh. LoL And I also thought it'd be "cute" to make her mom originally be from Australia, as a little "tribute" to the fact that the H2O show takes place in the same country, blah blah blah. LoL**

**I know a lot of you are very annoyed and disappointed in Cornelia, too, and how two faced she apparently is. You know, with/around her crush/coach, Jarek, she's the sweetest person in the world – Which you gotta assume she does that all the time, but most likely w/out realizing – and then when he's not around, she's her regular, bitchy and stuck up self. Ah well. LoL And how come SHE didn't get attacked when SHE passed through – AND hid in for a bit, I might add – that alleyway? I dunno. LoL Probably because everything she'd SPIT on would turn into gold, she's got such the charmed and perfect life. Meh. LoL**

**Oh, and I doubt anyone caught it, but it was just me doing a little "shout out" to Tonya Harding, before she'd gotten all buff and went to Women's Boxing after she'd sadly gotten banned for life from Figure Skating. Y'know, Cornelia's golden blade ice skates. Harding had a pair, herself, which I always thought was really neat to see when I'd watch her and the Winter Olympics when I was a kid. But I doubt a lot of you reading this fic have no clue what or who I'm talking about, since that was back in the later '80s and early '90s when she was around, kicking ass on the ice. Now she's busy kicking ass in the ring. LoL And I thought it'd be neat to use Cornelia's apparent middle name, Jayne, for someone who's the complete opposite of her in terms of coolness. Now THAT must be very irritating for her. LoL Oh, and her description and observation of how "shabby" downtown Heatherfield is in comparison to where she lives, and making note of a dollar store is not me trying to imply that only unfortunately destitute individuals could/would shop at such an establishment, or that is where one would be located. No. I shop at the "Dollar Tree" near my house on occasion, because it has great silverware I'm collecting for my new home soon, and I'm far from poor, myself. Nope. It's just me trying to illustrate Cornelia's blatant naivety and flagrant disregard AND disrespect for anyone/thing who isn't as well off as she is.**

**Know what's funny, yet also sad and irritating to ME? Just found out that there really IS a freaking place in CA called "Burger Joint," dammit, AND also retro-like how I'd described MINE. Lord. Ah well. So I'll call it "BJ" from now on in future chapters. And the Bay Holiday Resort is made up, but loosely based off the very beautiful Hotel Del Coronado that's in San Diego, which also has an outdoor ice skating rink that's right near and overlooks the beach. Too bad it's haunted, though. LoL What? You KNOW that any place that was built during the 1800s and up is automatically haunted, I'm just saying. No disrespect, for sure...:Shivers: LoL So, yeah! Six should, SHOULD, but don't quote me, be up pretty soon. Might be another long one, though, since I don't want to split up their "mystical experience" and the following day. We'll see. Review, pleasie! Thanks! LoL)**


	7. Chapter Six

**Sirène: HCW**

**By: Sokai**

**Disclaimer: **I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave _that_ honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Australian television program, "H2O: Just Add Water," created by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions (even though this story's only inspired by said show, not an official crossover). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series.

Note:_ Wow. I have "a lot" of you nervous that I'm gonna pull a "Requiem for a Dream" and kill Hay Lin again, or one of the other girls. C'mon now...do I look like I'd kill the WITCH gals over, and over, and OVER again? Mwa ha ha...LoL NO, so we can put this rest, I am NOT going to kill any of them in this story. Maybe injury them a lot or worry them to NO end, sure, but kill 'em? Nahhhh. HeHe_

_Anyhow! Glad you all liked chapter five (so far, since it's still fairly new as I type this)! It's kinda funny too, I just realize, that I featured both Winter and Summer Olympic sports in here, even though it really is what both girls participate in, regardless: Cornelia's figure skating (Winter) and Will's swimming (Summer). No WONDER they're so different...LoL_

_Um...slight warning for this chapter, so no one comes at me and says "That doesn't make any SENSE!" It does in my HEAD, dammit!! LoL Yeah...you'll see. Cough. HeHe_

* * *

This chapter was created/written in August 2008.

* * *

i **Chapter Six **i

"Hay Lin! H-Hay Lin -- _Ouch!_ Damn this place!" Will cursed loudly inside of the intimidating cave, after having stumbled over a few unseen rocks before her, immediately flashing her tiny key chain light onto them for better security. "Where . . . where _are_ you? I'm not trying to break my neck in here, while searching, undirected, through this giant death trap for you!"

_Then why __are__ you, then? You just don't want to get in trouble with Elyon or Cornelia if you don't do what you were sent to do, which is putting me down some more_, Hay Lin thought in fear and bitterness from where she sat, crouched behind what felt like a large boulder near the far back of the cave (or what she believed to be the far back of the cave, at least). She kept very still as she could hear, directly in front of her, the faint sloshing sounds of sneakers walking upon puddled water, and slowly, but surely creeping closer with each taken step.

How was she going to get out of this mess? Would this person, this girl, _ever_ give up and finally go home and allow Hay Lin to do the same, or would she be trapped there, like a rat within this dark and greatly intimidating cave forever?

If only Hay Lin still had her cellphone. Then she'd at least be able to dial 9-1-1 and hopefully have dispatchers be able to locate her position. She could fight her way out, although she was too depleted of energy by that point to really try . . . not to mention that her female pursuer could very well be quite muscular and skilled within assorted forms of physical combat, for all she knew.

But, maybe she could somehow _bluff_ her way out of this mess! It was certainly worth a shot, anyway.

"D-don't come any closer! I don't want t-to have to hurt you, as I'm quite masterful within the various art forms of Wushu!" Hay Lin cried out into the blanket of darkness and towards her apparent assailant, sharply sucking in her breath as she awaited for a response from the other girl, preferably one full of timorousness over her mendacious news.

Well, no. It wasn't _entirely_ false, as her beloved, late grandmother, Yan Lin, had taught Hay Lin a little bit within different martial art styles, such as Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan around the time she was eight-years-old, and continued to do so until having passed away when Hay Lin was only ten. But because she had never bothered to keep up with what she had learned later on, this knowledge was quite useless to her within her present predicament.

_Not to mention that I could have also used it on my attacker this morning, as well, if I __could__ remember something, _she thought with a small grimace, just as she listened to the footsteps suddenly stop.

"Are you _serious??_ Hay Lin, I'm not here to _jump_ you or anything! I'm here to help get you _home!_ It's _me_, Will Vandom! You know, the redhead you saw at the Burger Joint?" Will at last revealed to the other, frightened girl in an exasperated huff, her frustration mounting all the more for the current situation they were both in. Then she quickly caught herself, realizing having stated that she had also come from the same restaurant where the unfortunate debacle had had occurred, might cause a severe relapse in any sort of progress she might have made. "O-Oh! I don't mean it like that, like I hang out with Brown and her Psycho-Brigade or anything, no. I just mean that I was there when she'd ganged up on you. . . ."

Hay Lin nearly choked on the air she'd been holding in for the last minute or so, abruptly letting it out upon hearing the other teenager's news. Will Vandom? Wasn't she that star swimmer and athlete practically half the city had been buzzing about ever since Hay Lin had been back home?

Now that she thought about it, she could vaguely recall the crimson haired girl's face in one of her classes . . . now, which one had it been?

". . . . Y-You're in my Biology class, I think . . . you like to sit near the front, even though you never volunteer any answers or anything, like all the other kids who sit near the front, as well," she said slowly, tucking a couple strands of her loose, disheveled raven hair behind her ear as she cautiously began to stand. "But . . . why are you here? I mean, we don't know each other, and as far as I can tell, you're one of the 'Popular People,' like Elyon Brown, and _especially_ Cornelia Hale. Why don't you just forget about me, like the way they've made sure everyone _else_ does?"

". . . . Because I couldn't care less about things like popularity and the social standing it entails, _or_ anything that has to do with _either_ girl. That, and I don't happen to possess a black heart like _they_ do, I'm sure," Will lightly joked with a sigh, her eyes at last beginning to become better accustomed to the extreme darkness, as she flashed her minuscule light within the direction she believed Hay Lin to be.

Sure enough, two sets of brown eyes began to stare back at one another, as the formerly missing artist carefully moved out from behind the boulder, and towards the patiently awaiting redhead and her light. A small and confused, although relatively appreciative smile crept softly within the corners of her saffron, dirtied visage, before meeting at the middle.

"O . . . okay . . . I _guess_ I believe you. I mean . . . although I'm positive that if Elyon _had_ sent someone after me, I doubt they'd want to risk life and limb by following after me in here," Hay Lin gently reasoned aloud, arms draped around herself both in comfort and warmth, while feeling her heart at last beginning to slow down as her ever mounting fear was finally subsiding.

"Yeah, _tell_ me about it," Will murmured, more so to herself, as she looked about her surroundings with the help of the sole light source within the cave, listening to the shorter girl move closer to her. "It's giving the 'Drama Princess' too much credit, though, to think that far ahead. All _her_ tiny brain can manage to handle, is remembering the latest top ten bands or celebrity couples right now, or something. . . . _Anyway_, now that I found you, we can get out of here. I'm sure your friend will be happy, now, to know you're safe."

"Do you mean Alchemy? You two spoke to each other? I feel really _horrible_ for running away like that, especially from her, but I really didn't want to talk all of this out, or listen to any sort of 'soothing words of comfort' I knew she'd give to me if I'd waited for her, you know?" Hay Lin remarked a bit shyly, not quite feeling all that comfortable within her own skin just yet, despite having calmed down significantly.

After all, just because this girl had taken Alchemy's place in finding her, didn't mean that Hay Lin had to immediately reveal her entire life story to her in gratitude -- And she had Cornelia and Elyon to thank for her newfound recluse nature.

Still . . . if Alchemy had seen fit to obviously ask for Will's assistance in her search for Hay Lin, then perhaps she could give her the benefit of the doubt, as well.

Or, at least give a simple "Thank You" in kindness.

"Uh, yeah . . . yeah, I can understand that. Never really been one to pour my guts out so much, myself," Will replied carefully with a light frown, biting down upon her lower lip before turning away, beginning to recall her own fight with Elyon prior to Hay Lin had become the blonde's target, and how small and pathetic she'd felt afterward. "Seems like this isn't _anyone's_ day today, really. . . ."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Hay Lin inquired beside her, before letting out an abrupt sneeze the moment a soft, gentle breeze had blown into the cave and caressed the both of their bodies.

"U-Uh, nothing, nothing -- And God Bless you. _Anyway_, you should feel better in knowing that, even if the _rest_ of our school are numskulls in following the 'Blonde Twins' lead by dismissing you all the time, Hay Lin, you still have _one_ pretty good friend who cares a lot about you, and was really beside herself when she couldn't find you anymore. Now c'mon, before bats and _other_ things with wings might awaken and make a nest upon each of our heads. . . ." Will advised with a tiny smile upon her countenance and grand rouge upon her cheeks due to her swift cover up, thankful Hay Lin could barely make out her face, let alone where they were both standing.

The redhead felt a bit better, though, when she then heard the formerly timid girl begin to meekly giggle, the two of them beginning to cautiously make their way back out of the cave.

"Yeah . . . I suppose you're right, Will. I mean . . . even though it really _does_ get pretty hard to bear this constant treatment, I think I would rather have one true friend who likes me for me, than to have a million so called friends who only like me because of what I can offer them or something. . . ." she gently commented, the sound of a reflective smile lingering within her voice.

Will didn't say anything to this, feeling that the dark haired girl's words had hit a bit too close to home, as her mind, once more, regrettably traveled back to how she'd felt back at the Burger Joint.

_Maybe it __wasn't__ such a good idea to come rescue her, after all, because she's driving me crazy_, she fleetingly mused, shaking her head in dismissal of her negative thoughts and about to open her mouth to speak once more, when the hurried sound of footsteps startled both girls.

"W-Who's that coming?? This isn't some sort of _trick_ you really _have_ hatched, is it, Will?? Because I --"

"-- _No_, all right?? Be quiet and _hide!_" Will hissed against Hay Lin's cheek after promptly covering her mouth with her free hand, instantly killing the light from her key chain flashlight with the other, so as not to reveal either girl's whereabouts to the swiftly approaching newcomer.

_Who the Hell, within their right mind, would be __willingly__ coming in here like this??_ she pondered, heart beating fast against her breastplate, as she reached out and seized Hay Lin's tiny wrist to blindly lead her further back into the cave.

Hay Lin could feel her adrenaline beginning to course through her veins, already gearing her body up to enact its innate "Fight or Flight" stimulation. And now that she had Will with her, who definitely had to be far more stronger than she, especially with all the swimming she did day to day, she felt like she honestly could take on whomever this third individual was.

"Just stay still, and be ready to run when I tell you," Will whispered within the general vicinity of Hay Lin, who merely nodded in response even though it couldn't have been seen. Both girls now followed Hay Lin's lead from before, crouched behind what they assumed had been the same boulder, as they listened to the hurried footsteps slow down some now that they were deeper inside of the dark cavern.

"_Ugh! _I can't see a _thing_ in here! And all I have is my stupid little glow-in-the-dark wristwatch, for all the good it's doing for me," the duo could hear a mysterious voice, also female, groan out in frustration to herself as she continued her trek further into the cave, sounding closer. "I have _no_ clue how both Vandom _and_ that Lin girl could see _anything_ in here, never mind _breathe!_ It smells like poopies and old gym socks!"

"_Poopies__?" Is this girl a complete __idiot__? There's probably just some __sulfur__ lurking about somewhere in here, that's all_, Will thought with a roll of her eyes, for the first time honestly paying attention to the distinct odor the unknown trespasser was referring to.

Then something occurred to her, and apparently to Hay Lin, as well, as she felt her stir with excitement next to her.

"Oh, my God, Will! I-I think I know who that is!" she breathed, with renewed worry, into Will's neck, although clearly having wished to aim for her ear.

"Yeah . . . so do I," the redhead replied softly with a slight shiver and wave of her hand, although in a flat tone to illustrate her immense disdain for the person both girls immediately recognized to be Cornelia Hale. "Looks like you'll be able to get yourself some _revenge_. . . ."

Although confused, Hay Lin didn't say a word as she felt Will shift her body away from her and towards the direction she thought Cornelia was coming in. Sure enough, a tiny, circular and neon green colored light could be seen bobbing up and down as it passed over their heads, and the sharp flapping sounds of flipflop sandals echoing by their feet.

After waiting until the blonde was a couple of feet away from them, emitting occasional obscenities to herself in increased frustration, Will, without warning, immediately catapulted herself from out of her hiding spot and charged towards the unsuspecting girl.

"_What_ are you doing here, Hale?? Come to finish what your best gal pal started??" she shouted in accusation from behind Cornelia, flashing her key chain light against the back of her gray colored tank top.

"_Ahh!!_ W-What --! _Vandom?? _I-Is that you?? What the hell is going -- _Whoa!!_" Cornelia cried, severely startled as she nearly jumped ten feet into the air and whirled around to look at the redhead, before suddenly losing her balance and falling straight down, vanishing from sight.

All that was left in her place was one of her sandals, Will could feel as it gently hit her against her ankle, listening in extreme confusion as well as surprise to the girl's echoing screams as she continued to fall.

"W-What _happened?_ Will, what did you _do??_" Hay Lin screamed with great fright, rushing forward to the befuddled cardinal locked teenager, who swiftly put her arm out to stop her from going any further.

"_Me??_ I didn't do _anything!_ You heard what I _did_ do! She just . . . _fell!!_" Will defended heatedly, pushing against Hay Lin's chest to back her away from what Will could vaguely make out to be a relatively large hole within the formerly solid, stable ground. "I-It . . . looks like a _cave-in_ or something. . . . I mean, because Hale was standing _right_ there, _just_ fine, until she took another step."

"Yeah, _okay??_ But how did it happen, and how do we get _down_ there to help her??" Hay Lin queried with great persistence, tightly clinging to Will's arm that which continued to hold her at bay from the sudden chasm before them, as Cornelia's frantic cries began to eerily dissipate.

Will turned her head in both a mixture of shock, as well as respect for the smaller girl, as she hadn't expected such a request to come out of her mouth -- Especially not for one who most likely would never have done the same for her in kind.

"What?? You want us to go down there, without any rope or certainty of ever making it back up, let _alone_ ever seeing the light of day again? And all to help someone who makes sure your life is as miserable as she can possible make it?" she asked with a raise of her crimson eyebrows despite already knowing the answer, already shining her light around the surrounding area for anything that could be used as some sort of a makeshift, manual pulley.

"Well . . . _y-yeah! _I mean, true, she's _not_ the nicest person on the planet, I know, but she's _still_ a human being! We _can't_ just leave her down there to die!" Hay Lin avowed with a faint distinction of confidence, intermingled with the obvious compassion she possessed within her, affirming what Will had already suspected all along.

Sighing deeply, as she was not entirely sure she would have done the same, herself, if she had been alone, Will nodded in compliance, before turning her attention to the gaping hole before them.

". . . . Hale! Are you all right??" she shouted down towards where the tall blonde had fallen, anxiously waiting for a response. After several seconds had elapsed into an honest minute, the worry and concern Will didn't know she could have possessed for the potentially endangered girl began to mount severely within her.

"All right. I'm going to go down there after her," she decided as bravely as she could, unfastening her key chain from the hip of her jean shorts. "Here, Hay Lin. Take this light, and see if you can't find some sort of vines or something else like that to toss down to use once I've found her, all right?"

"B-But --" Hay Lin began with a whimper, not particularly fond of their newfound plan to separate, as she'd then be alone once again within the darkness, even with the bestowed light source. "M-Maybe I can run back and find something or someone to help us, a-and --"

"-- By then it might be too late, Hay Lin! No. No, we have to act _now,_ and treat any wounds she might have, before it gets infected," Will interrupted, placing both of her hands onto the artist's frail shoulders as confidently, as well as reassuringly as she could. "Just . . . be _brave_, and do as I ask, all right? I'm counting on you."

Hay Lin, taking a deep, slow breath, fixed a small frown upon her flax hued countenance, trying her best to calm herself down. Will was right. Both of these girls would be relying on her to save them, and help them make it back to the top as quickly and safely as possible.

Shining the light towards the hole for Will's benefit, Hay Lin watched as the redhead intently studied it, trying to figure out how best to tackle such a feat as making it all the way down in one piece.

She let out a brief whistle.

". . . . Looks pretty far down," Will observed, nervously wiping at her forehead with the back of her hand as she cautiously leaned over and peered down. "But it doesn't look like Hale had fallen _straight_ down, like in an elevator shaft or something. The drop seems to slant -- You know, like a steep slope. So . . . maybe if I'm careful enough, I'll just slide down as though this is a water slide. . . ."

_I __hope__, anyway_, she pondered as an afterthought, while trying to psych herself up for what she was about to do by referring to the task as some sort of lighthearted amusement park ride. _Okay. You can do this, Will . . . although I can't believe I'm now going to rescue yet __another__ person today, and someone I can't even __stand__, either. . . . If only Rae could see me now._

With a deep breath, pinching her nose subconsciously as though about to dive into a swimming pool, Will took a small leap down into the gaping hole.

"Be careful, Will!" she heard Hay Lin calling after her, watching as, in an instant, her body had disappeared into the blanket of shadows that lay before her.

"_Whhhhooooaaaa!!_" the athletic swimmer shrieked in alarm, raising both of her arms up in protection, as she felt her body continue to careen down the surprisingly slippery, winding slope that really _did_ feel like some sort of long forgotten water slide. She began to think that, in retrospect, she should have kept her flashlight with her so that she could at least _see_ her oncoming death if not prevent it, as she hadn't the slightest idea of where _or_ when the "ride" would take a violent turn for the worse.

_But Hay Lin needs it more than I do right now, or else both me __and__ Cornelia are goners, anyhow_, she thought, feeling her heart jump into her throat the moment her completely soaked through bottom met with an unexpected and unforeseen bump, causing her to gasp sharply in surprise.

After a few more unknown turns and pivots, Will abruptly felt her body being hurled down into what felt like soft dirt beneath her. Coughing up moist earth and dust a bit violently, as she hadn't expected to fall face first into anything that wouldn't be sharp or jagged, Will then took a moment to exhale in profound relief that she was both still alive, _and_ in one piece.

Having screwed her brown eyes shut for the entire duration of her uneasy trip down, Will slowly opened them after having calmed down some, before gasping in utter surprise at what she saw. The very fact that she _could_ then see anything was an amazement in and of itself; however, what lay before her at that moment was an utter bewilderment.

There, not but three or four feet ahead of her, was a grand, limpid pool of pure emerald colored water, that seemed to eerily as well as effortlessly illuminate the entire area. Never had Will seen anything so beautiful in all of her life, nor water so pure and inviting.

". . . . No _way_," she murmured softly to herself in awe, instantly noticing the much cleaner air as she slowly rose to her feet and dusted herself off. She had forgotten all about why she had come down there, the sight was too breathtaking . . . that is, until she'd suddenly heard someone shriek out to her left.

Crouched before the water's edge was Cornelia, her right leg delicately extended and placed into the crisp, clean water. Besides a couple of scrapes visible upon her peaches and cream complexion here and there, and her clothes and hair dirtied up some, as well, she appeared to be otherwise all right.

But then, why had she just cried out?

"_Hale!_ You're _okay!_" Will called out to the blonde, making her whirl around and instantly glare at her in response, before twisting her face up into a slight wince as she reached into the water to rub at her submerged ankle. Clearly, it had been twisted during her journey down. "Hey, _wait_ a second . . . you're _okay_, and you didn't even bother to _answer_ me when I'd called after you before?? And why'd you _scream_ right now, for?? You're_ fine!_ Well, except for maybe that fat ankle of yours, there. . . ."

"'_Fat??_' I'll have you know that there isn't even an _ounce_ of fat upon this _fantastic_ body you see before you, thank you very _much!!_ And you wouldn't have _needed_ to call after me in the _first_ place, if you hadn't _sneaked_ up on me and caused me to fall down here, Vandom!! This is all _your_ fault!" Cornelia retorted in anger, gritting her teeth both in annoyance as well as pain. "I _didn't_ respond because I couldn't _hear_ you, all right? And I also did _not_ just scream right now! More like . . . gently _gasped_, because of the creepy lizard-thing that had just crawled past me. Plus, this . . . _annoying_ water keeps _dripping_ on my head from those chandelier-looking rocks up there!!"

Will's own brow furrowed, folding her arms across her chest as she returned the intense gaze of abhorrence the prima donna seated before her continued to bestow upon her. She then looked up for a moment to see what the emotionally sizzling girl was referring to, and finally took notice of what honestly looked to be thousands of dripping soda straws hanging above their heads.

She let out a tired, impatient sigh as a drop of water had then fallen onto her own head, before turning her attention back onto Cornelia.

"_God_, don't you _ever_ pay attention in school? Oh, no, wait. Silly me, because if it doesn't have anything to do with boys, shopping for clothes, or belittling every other person who _isn't_ you, you're completely _lost!_" she chastised, tapping her moist, sneakered foot rapidly against the dirt ground. "They're _not_ chandeliers, you nitwit -- They're called '_stalactites_.' As in, accumulated calcite and other various minerals in crystalline form, which then later. . . . You know what? _Never_ mind. Your pee brain can't _possibly_ understand anything I'm saying right now, _especially_ if you had to refer to them as 'chandelier-looking rocks.' _Anyway! _Get up, already, all right, because in case you couldn't figure it out, I'm here to take you back up."

"You really think I'm that _stupid_, don't you?? At least _I'm_ not the one who ran into this freaking cave, like a complete _buffoon_, even though it was pitch black inside and could have easily gotten hurt or killed myself _for_ it!" Cornelia spat back at Will, reaching out to pick up and roughly throw the small rock that had been lying next to her at the redhead, who merely chuckled and easily dodged it just in time.

"Uh, _hello?_ That's _exactly_ what you did, 'Bright-Eyes,' so I dunno who you're trying to fool here," she remarked, continuing in her laughter at the fuming girl's cost, who began to instantly blush at the realization. "And anyhow, it serves you right, for coming after Hay Lin like that, just so you and your idiot friend, Elyon, can get in a few extra laughs at her expense! _She's_ the one who _really_ could have ended up severely injured up there, if I hadn't gone after her to see that she was all right!"

"_Huh?? _What're you _talking_ ab --" the wealthy blonde began in confusion, before sharp, terrified screams effortlessly sliced through her words. Turning their attention towards the way they'd both entered, the two rival girls watched in alarm as a new body tumbled from out of the stony chute and into the dirt, lying face down within the same manner as well as spot Will had fallen upon just moments before.

"What the _Hell_. . . .?" Cornelia wondered aloud to herself, trailing off as she stared after Will, who had immediately jogged over to the still individual.

"H-Hay Lin?? What're you _doing_ down here? I thought I told you to stay up _there_ and find something to throw back down for us to use!" the redhead cried within a potpourri of emotion, varying from surprise and concern, to anger and remorse, especially now that it appeared as though all three girls were now doomed.

Furiously wiping at her face to free it of the various sooty particles that now clung to it, Hay Lin gratefully took Will's hand, who carefully helped her up onto her feet.

"I-I_ know!_ But I _couldn't_ find anything, honest! A-and then when your flashlight suddenly _died_ on me, I started to freak out, so I . . . I'm _really_ sorry, Will," she explained with an embarrassed, heavy heart, unable to meet the frustrated girl's gaze out of shame as she awkwardly handed back the now useless key chain to her.

"_Wonderful!_ So that means you've killed us _all!_ Thanks for that, _Einstein!_" Cornelia exhaled with an incredulous air, silently wishing that her looks could kill right at that very moment, so that the smallest girl among them could then be the first to perish . . . or, at the _very_ least, Cornelia's swollen ankle be better so that she could have been able to get up and throttle Hay Lin with her bare hands.

Will's body instantly tensed up at this, feeling absolutely fed up with all of the fair haired teenager's badgering.

"_Listen_, you 'Berserk-o Barbie doll!' _All_ of this -- And I _do_ mean, _all_ of this -- is _your_ fault!" she began, turning away from and releasing Hay Lin from her hold, as she strode back over to Cornelia with her index finger extended and pointed accusingly towards her. "If you would have just stopped teasing and bothering Hay Lin from the get, then _none_ of this would have happened! _Elyon_ wouldn't have attacked her at the Burger Joint, _she_ wouldn't have run off in tears, and then _all_ of us wouldn't be _trapped_ down here together, waiting for Death to come put _both_ Hay Lin and I out of our miseries, of being stuck with such a depraved _sociopath_ like _you!_"

Will had to blink her eyes rapidly for a moment, as she could have sworn that she saw what looked like tears shimmering within Cornelia's eyes. However, when she looked again she saw nothing, only pure, unbridled rage pooling into them and emitting from her now rigid looking body.

"Guys, _please! _Fighting like this won't get us anywhere! We may still have a chance to get out of here! I mean, I think it's safe to say that we're now well beneath the cave . . . in some sort underground grotto, maybe, right?" Hay Lin spoke from behind Will as she walked over, inexplicably taking the initiative for the first time since the two had first come together, after having calmed down long enough to take proper notice of her newfound surroundings.

Will, taking several slow, long inhales to relax herself, nodded lightly a moment before responding.

"I . . . guess so, yeah, although grottoes are typically artificial or man made, rather, and this . . . doesn't appear to be so," she clarified as she turned around to face the raven haired girl, before resuming her survey of the area.

Sliding herself back, Cornelia carefully took her bruised ankle from out of the cooling water before gingerly managing to stand.

". . . . As much as I hate to say it, you two seem to know a lot about this . . . natural landscape stuff or whatever," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, leaning her weight onto her left side as much as possible, in attempts to alleviate some of her ankle pain. "And being that I really _don't_ want to die down here, I'm going to let _you_ take charge -- For _now_, anyway -- in finding a way out of here. Oh, and I really have _no_ clue what you were going on about before, about Elyon and the Burger Joint, all right? So _drop_ it, already."

"Yeah, _right_, I'm sure you don't. But thanks, ever so much, for entrusting us with your life, Your Heavenliness! We'll be sure not to further mess up your no longer perfect pedicure," Will remarked with a roll of her eyes and point of her finger to Cornelia's bare feet, both of which were muddied up and French tipped toenails now scuffed and chipped.

"_Ohh!_ My _nails!_ My beautiful, expensive and meticulously cared for _nails!!_ They're _ruined!!_" the blonde squealed in misery, promptly sinking back down to the ground to clean off the moist earth from them, wincing once again when she had been a bit too rough with her injured appendage.

"Yeah . . . we're _definitely_ on our own with this one," Will said to Hay Lin, who had been trying to conceal the faint, but growing satisfied smiled with her hands at that moment, before turning her attention onto the only other competent girl present.

"R-right . . . so what _do_ we do, though, Will? I honestly really don't know much about caves and its structures or anything like that . . . but _you_ obviously do," she said after recovering some, giving the other brown eyed girl an inquisitive, pleading look as the both of them blocked out Cornelia's continued bereavement over her tarnished nails.

Will merely shook her head at this, moving past Hay Lin with both her hands on her hips while she gazed up at the dangling stalactites.

"Well, not _exactly_, no. I'm just . . . pretty good at biology overall, I guess, and remembered briefly reading a chapter on Biospeleology once -- Er, '_cave-biology_,' basically," she explained with a thoughtful puckering of her lips, her eyes scanning further down the area. "But I don't know anything that could help us here and now, trust me. But I _can_ swim, though. That is, all this water, besides having accumulated over time mainly because of these stalactites, probably, had to have come from somewhere. Maybe we're deep enough underneath this cave that we're actually and completely underwater. And if that's the case, maybe I can dive in there, to see if I can't find its primary source that'll hopefully lead to the surface somewhere."

"Whoa! _Wait_ a minute! _Back_ up a sec!" Cornelia suddenly interjected, clearly having finished with her miniature breakdown, as she swiftly crawled over towards both of her natural enemies. "You expect us -- Expect _me_ to get _in_ there, and _swim_ my way out of whatever opening you may or may _not_ find down below??"

Desperately trying to keep her temper under control, although it was nearly impossible where the young blonde was concerned, Will gently clenched her teeth and nodded.

"That's the general idea, yes. Why? _Scared_ there might be octopuses or something slimy and large like that lurking down there?" she questioned with a vague, mocking air, although she too had been pondering the same thing the moment after she'd made the decision to prospectively dive into the cool, bluish-green water before them.

Cornelia let out a forced scoff, trying her very best to both regain her composure, in addition to concealing her unknown fear of water to the pair. If Elyon, her own _best friend_, wasn't even aware of her slight phobia, then she _certainly_ wasn't going to let _these_ two nobodies in on it!

She had to think of something, and _fast_.

". . . . If you dweebs _must_ know, I don't like getting wet with my clothes on, okay?? And these tights are _dry clean_ only, too," Cornelia offered as convincingly as she could, swallowing hard as she tried to squelch the growing lump within her throat she knew all too well to be her hydrophobia mounting.

"Well, sorry, but you're going to have to get over that if you want to make it out of this _alive_," Will responded with a tired air, turning her attention back onto the water as she seemed to have bought Cornelia's cover. "Now come _on_, already."

Before another word could have been said, Will took both opposing teenagers by surprise when she confidently dove into the sparkling water, vanishing completely from sight for a couple of seconds, which made the two, unbeknownst to one another, a bit worried as a result.

_If that apparent swimming guru manages to somehow drown in this place, then __I'm__ going to be royally __screwed_, Cornelia thought in deploring, biting down hard onto her rosy lip in nervousness, as Hay Lin wrung her hands together next to her, in obvious trepidation of her own.

Suddenly, a large, but distinct moving blur slowly made its way up to the surface, and both Hay Lin and Cornelia let out sighs of profound relief once they saw Will pop her head back up through the water.

"Well, what are you _waiting_ for??" she inquired after a quick exhale, then inhale of fresh air, a minuscule smile of reassurance upon her moist face and directed at the sable haired girl. "The water's _great_, by the way; you'll _love_ it!"

"Don't hold your _breath_," Cornelia muttered lightly in disagreement, not realizing the slight pun she had just made, before she spoke up once more. "Uh, _wait_ a second! I really _can't_ go in there, though! _Hello?_ Sprained ankle? H-How do you two expect me to . . . _you_ know, swim and stuff??"

". . . . I guess Will and I will have to help you, then," Hay Lin murmured a bit detachedly, looking at the jittery looking blonde directly within her eyes for the very first time since having been down there with her.

Cornelia softly narrowed her blue eyes towards her in wariness, looking the shorter girl up and down a moment before responding.

". . . . Yeah . . . I _guess_," she tried to say as haughtily as she could, though she was too taken aback that the very same girl she had personally made a social outcast since day one, would be willing to see to it that she didn't become too submerged within the water and drown as a result.

What was she playing at?

Cornelia didn't have much time to think about it for much longer, as she regrettably watched as Hay Lin, too, jumped into the water, feet first, after Will, also disappearing from view for a couple of seconds before reemerging up to the surface, safe and sound.

"Hey, Will, _look_. There's a . . . kind of opening up above there a little further down behind you," she observed after a new breath, pointing over the girl's head and towards the small, but still noticeable gap within the top side of the cavern wall. "There's some sunlight, I think, beginning to bleed through there, too. Maybe we'd be able to climb _up_ there somehow, and --"

"-- I don't think so, no, Hay Lin. It's too high up," Will interrupted, both girls swimming closer to the spot and shielding their eyes as more and more sun rays poured inside and blinded their vision for a bit. "Not to mention that there's too many jagged rocks we could easily fall and break something upon even if we _could_ find a way up. Plus, that hole's _way_ too small for even _you_ to fit through, since you're the shortest . . . but it sure doesn't have any problem letting the _sun_ in. Good to know we're apparently not _that_ far from the surface, after all."

"Um, _hey_ there! _Hi_, there! Yeah! _Forgotten_ about somebody?? I need _help_, remember?" Cornelia shouted out after the preoccupied, wafting girls, still waiting anxiously by the water's edge for the one or both of them to come help her into it.

Both Will and Hay Lin let out simultaneous groans at this, before Will spoke up.

"_I've_ got her," she decided, exhaling in defeat with a roll of her eyes, before swiftly closing the distance between she and the curiously frantic blonde, as she swam back over to her.

". . . . Are you ready?" Will asked as placidly as she could, raising one moist hand out of the water to offer to Cornelia. "Just scoot over to me and give me your hand. I've _got_ you, all right? I . . . won't let you drown."

_Although I'd probably be doing a favor to a lot of "underdogs" __everywhere__ if I __did_, she couldn't help but to think, as she watched the cornflower haired Beauty Queen silently do what she was told, and awkwardly so.

_I'm gonna make __sure__ that my unfinished business is haunting this girl until she goes __insane__, if she __does__ let me drown, I __swear__ it_, Cornelia mused with mixed bitterness and extreme alertness, before firmly grasping the redhead's entire forearm, taking a deep breath and then allowing herself to fall into the water at Will's side with a grand splash.

"Uh . . . W-Will? Is it me, or is the water suddenly taking on an _eerie_ sort of glow?" Hay Lin called out to the preoccupied, professional swimmer in the near distance, who was then struggling to remain afloat and sustain her offered support in doing the same for the now frazzled Cornelia, who let out several sharp gasps of alarm after having managed to lift her head out from underneath the water.

"I can't, I can't, I _can't!!_" she continued to shriek over and over, directly into Will's ear inadvertently as she wrapped both arms around her neck, who groaned heavily as a result of the added weight.

"Not an ounce of fat on your entire body, my _ass!!_ You're . . . _killing_ me!" the brown eyed girl remarked in between labored breaths, trying her best to swim the both of them out towards Hay Lin, who then looked quite nervous, herself. "_Next_ time, you're on your . . . own??"

It was then that both remaining girls finally took notice of what the sole artist had been referring to, as the three of them surrounded one another. All around them, the spacious, limpid pool began to inexplicably give off a deep and brighter bluish-green aura, before distinctly beginning to change to a more, golden-white hue the moment more and more sunlight peaked through the small hole above them.

And as more and more rays from the sun filtered in and caressed both the illuminating water, as well as the trio, the brighter it became, until it was almost too much for any of them to bear gazing upon any longer . . . that is, until their bodies mysteriously began to feel quite tingly and almost numb, as a sudden eruption of bubbles began percolating around them and the rest of the pool.

"W . . . What's g-g-going _on??_" Cornelia managed to shout over the increasing noise, as she now distributed her weight between both girls on either side of her, shivering within an amalgamation of fright and sudden coldness, despite the water having grown quite warm in mere seconds.

It curiously felt as though the very blood within her veins had mysteriously iced over, making her grow all the more frightened over the current situation.

"I-I don't _know!!_" Will cried back in response, completely at a loss for further words _or_ explanation as to what was currently transpiring all around them. Both she and Hay Lin felt very queasy and itchy, as though the itch extended all the way into their very bones.

After what felt like eons to all three girls, the strange anomaly at last began to subside, as the water around them slowly began to lose its great intensity in both bubbles and light, at the same time that the rays of bright sunlight slowly dissipated, until there was nothing left.

"Wh . . . what _was_ that?" Hay Lin weakly whispered, as she and her two other comrades looked away from the miniature hole, fighting the great urge she now had to begin hyperventilating in utter shock.

Will wobbled her drenched head from side to side in half attempt to shake it in response to the girl's inquiry, trying her very best to calm herself down, while managing to still remember to hold onto the injured Cornelia, who softly whimpered at her side.

". . . . L-Like I said before, I don't know, Hay Lin . . . I-I don't know. But . . . I _don't_ want to stick around here any longer to find out," she feebly announced, half in a daze before blinking her eyes a couple of times to pool what little bravery she had left at that point. "I really think that . . . if we swim in that direction, ahead of us over there, there should be some type of current or opening that should lead straight to the ocean. If we got in, we can get _out_, right? Take a deep, _deep_ breath, and stay close to me. . . . Let's go."

Without another word, all three water bound ladies gave one another a weary, tense look, with a silent prayer to successfully meet salvation on the other end, before following Will's lead, inhaling quite generously before ducking their heads underneath the water that had returned to its previously crystal clear, and calm emerald hue.

Cornelia tried her very best to remain as collected as possible, alternating between awkwardly kicking through the currents with her one good leg, and allowing the two girls on either side of her to act as her flotation device.

Meanwhile, Hay Lin, holding onto her blue eyed aggravation as best she could, despite her being a lot heavier than she'd expected, struggled to keep her mind upon the task at hand, even though the previous, strange oddity just moments before kept pulling her back.

What had that been? And what had caused it? Had it been a mere trick of the light, or perhaps even within each of their imaginations due to fatigue? Hay Lin didn't think she'd ever know the precise answer, however took comfort in knowing that she'd never be back there again . . . assuming the three of them all made it to safety, and soon.

As though on cue, she could see a dim, yet distinct bluish light within the distance, permeating through a slightly circular opening.

_Is that an exit? I certainly __hope__ so_, Will thought in desperate determination, quickening her pace through the water and pulling the injured Cornelia along. _Everywhere else around us is kinda dark, like we're still surrounded by the rocks from the cave. But dead ahead is what looks like a small passageway, as though the rocks had fallen and broken away from it. Either way, it's our only shot to make it out of here. . . ._

Even though she was, by that point, dangerously stricken with fatigue, wishing only to collapse and sleep it off for the next several days, Will knew she could not, at any costs, give into the nagging voice within the back of her mind that continually beckoned her to rest. She had to keep fighting, keep _pushing_, until she'd gotten she and the others to the surface.

And despite not knowing either girl that well, detesting one of them completely, Will, for whatever reason, felt a great, undeniable conviction serging within her to make it through to the end, with the both of them at her side . . . and, whether yet realized or not, she would be feeling that way towards them quite a lot within the near future. . . .

Reaching the decently sized, cavernous opening first, that thankfully appeared as though the three of them could fit through one at a time, perhaps, Will cautiously poked her head through to see what might be lurking nearby. When no formidable type of sea creature could be seen (something she'd half anticipated upon encountering the instant she and the other girls dove underwater, however surprisingly not finding any), she carefully slipped away from Cornelia's tight grasp to swim on ahead.

She was greatly relieved to see, as she looked above her, and upon further inspection, that the surface was not that far off from where she was, treading water all around her.

_Maybe about . . . a couple minutes worth until we'd break through it. I know __I'll__ be able to hold my breath for that much longer, but I really hope that __they'll__ be able to, as well_, she thought with slight optimism, before slightly turning in the water and motioning for Hay Lin and Cornelia to follow.

Seeing that the dark haired girl was having a bit of difficulty maneuvering, now that she was the only one assisting her blonde menace beside her, Will swiftly swam back over and waved both of her hands toward herself, indicating for Hay Lin to pass over Cornelia first, before coming through the hole, herself.

With a feverish nod in understanding, Hay Lin, too, motioned to the ever flustered looking Cornelia to ensure that she was also aware of what was happening, before gently guiding her body over to the awaiting Will, who helped pull her through the exit.

Even though she was relieved to both be rid of the added weight, as well as apparently being just near minutes away from freedom, Hay Lin couldn't help but to pause for a moment, looking behind her and the way she'd came, as though to permanently cement the spooky, yet tranquil sight into her mind forever.

With a sudden shiver that jolted her out of her distracted reflection, Hay Lin immediately turned back around and swam through the rocky passage, trailing after both the redhead and blonde who were already halfway to the surface, primarily thanks to Will's naturally phenomenal swimming talent.

"_Ahh!!_" Cornelia was the first to gasp, quite loudly, once both hers and Will's heads broke through the water and back into the fresh air that was now all around them. Still clinging to the crimson maned teenager, who was also inhaling excessively, with Hay Lin appearing a couple moments later, she gaily looked about her surroundings.

_Air!_ Brilliant, sweet, and _beautiful_ air! And the soft, blue colored _sky_, that was slowly but surely beginning to turn golden-orange as the sun began to set!

And, _best_ of all, as she'd just then spotted to be a little ways before her, _land!_

Never had she seen anything so wonderful in all of her young life!

"T-Thank _God!!_" the hydrophobic girl cried out, beginning to giggle deliriously in between continued deep breaths. But then, after beginning to get over the shock and terror of the entire ordeal, she finally remembered something, something _quite_ important. "Oh, my _God!_ My _skating competition!_ My equipment and precious, lucky ice skates! You losers made me lose _all_ of that, _and_ sprain my ankle!! _How_ am I supposed to compete _now_, Vandom?? This is all your _fault!!_"

"You . . . you know, you m-might not want to _piss_ off someone who _literally_ has your life within their hands, thanks," Will remarked through clenched teeth, gritting them, both in anger, as well as due to the epic, personal battle to keep up her strength, as she then began to swim the last stretch towards shore with the fuming blonde still within her arms.

". . . . I-If it wasn't for _you_, Will, we'd all be _dead!_ You'll _never_ know how much this means to me!" Hay Lin managed to call out from behind her crimson locked savior and over the crashing waves, following suit as she too swam towards land and back onto the beach where everything had started.

Roughly two or so minutes later, all three Heatherfield High School students generously collapsed onto the soft, sandy shore within soggy, exhausted and crumpled heaps. Never had it felt so good to be back onto dry land before -- Nor to rest, and each one of them wanted to savor the moment for as long as they could, before figuring out their next move.

It would be nearly dark before the trio of survivors bothered to speak again, let alone move from out of their chosen spots. . . .

". . . . Any idea how you two bad _omens_ are gonna get me home, and _far_ away from you as possible? Oh, and not to mention how you're going to _compensate_ me for the loss of my possessions, the good use of my _ankle_, and -- Oh, _yeah!_ My _gold medal??_" Cornelia hissed directly into Will's ear, as she rolled over onto her side, her flagrant ego and vast confidence returned now that she was no longer within the water, nor preoccupied with trying not to expire inside of it.

Both Will and, unbeknownst to her, even Hay Lin, were seriously considering tossing the griping sunlit tressed socialite back into the water, and simply allow nature to take its course. However, it was mainly the desire to avoid having to go to Juvenile Hall for however long, after an investigation would have been conducted over the other girl's disappearance, and the discovery made that she had been with the two of them last, that stopped them from doing so.

_She can't possibly be happy with her life, the way she treats people so maliciously like this on a daily basis, no matter __how__ much money and popularity she has_, Hay Lin silently surmised with a growing, displeased scowl, slowly sitting up as she watched Will do the same. _I kinda now think that __mine__ is just fine the way it is, after all. . . ._

"Oh, _again_ with the jokes. That's cool, that's cool. _I've_ got one for you, myself: How we -- And by '_we_,' I mean, Hay Lin and I -- will get home by _walking_, something _you_ currently can't do too well without aid," the redhead replied with narrowed brown eyes, and a faint smirk gracing her pink, now severely chapped lips. "So, unless you want to make this tiny little beach, with the freaky, welcoming cave we nearly became permanent _fixtures_ within your new home, I'd suggest you _quit_ barking at me and prepare to do quite a bit of _hiking!_"

Knowing the obvious truth within the other girl's words, Cornelia didn't say another one for herself, as she too gingerly rose to her aching, swollen feet, and didn't speak again, period, until all three girls were at least two blocks away from the apparently unknown beach.

". . . . Th . . . this is . . . taking _forever_, and I really don't think my legs will make it any further," she spoke tiredly, her fair visage twisted up into one of pure agony, as she hobbled along in between Will and Hay Lin, who were both just as fatigued and silent up until that moment, as well. "Plus, it's beginning to get too dark out here, and I _really_ don't want to encounter any _desperate criminals_, just _aching_ to violate my young, teenage body, _thank_ you. . . ."

". . . . I could have . . . called my parents if . . . if I still had my cellphone," the gangly artist breathlessly suggested and growing increasingly paranoid, herself, as she felt as though her heart had just been stabbed clean through upon listening to the older girl's last remark. She couldn't believe she'd nearly forgotten, due to all of the chaos, her early morning ordeal prior to the one she'd also just managed to survive.

Will watched Hay Lin from the corner of her eye, knowing full well what was currently on her mind, and swiftly jumped into the newfound conversation before Cornelia could have offered her two cents upon the matter.

"Yeah, same here. But I didn't think I'd have been out this long when I left home this afternoon, so didn't bother to bring mine with me," she chimed in with an agreeable nod, turning the corner and heading towards what looked to be an empty gas station. "But maybe we can go inside _there_ and use their phone, maybe to call a cab, or something, if not our folks. That is, unless _you_ wouldn't mind using _your_ cellphone for the benefit of we lowly peasants. . . ."

A _taxi!_ Why hadn't _Cornelia_ thought of that before? She could have been back home, within her beautiful penthouse by now if she'd had, instead of walking the darkened, cold and unknown streets with two of the most vile people alive, and looking like a stark, raving _madwoman_ with her ruined, still a bit moist clothes.

_Then again, why __would__ I have ever thought of riding inside of a __germ-infested__, low-grade __mobile __coffin__ that only __common__ people use, when I've got oodles and oodles of money that allows me to ride within my own limousine on a daily basis?_ she mused with a small smile to herself in pride, before shivering at the thought of ever having to travel inside one.

And tonight would certainly _not_ be that night.

"Uh . . . are you brain dead? All of my belongings are now _long_ gone, somewhere deep inside of that underground pool-thingie," the blonde responded with both lament and irritation, grateful to be out of the darkness and now bathed within the lights of the gas station (despite having to unfortunately be better seen as such a mess, as a result) as the trio approached. "Besides, my phone had died long before I came upon you two nuisances. But . . . if I _must_ -- I mean, if it'll get me back to my _lavish_ home sooner, where I can take a nice, _long_ soak within a _very_ hot bubble bath -- then _I'll_ go inside here and call my family's chauffeur, Marshall. That is, if that'd be all right with my wonderful little _sister_ that I borrow him, anyway. . . ."

Not bothering to query after the girl about what her last comment had been about, as they watched her hop ahead of them and into the vacant gas station store that was thankfully open, both Will and Hay Lin were merely mutually surprised, as well as relieved that Cornelia had actually just offered them a ride to _their_ houses, as well.

"Never thought she had it in her. Guess her heart's _not_ as black as I thought -- Maybe more like a _liver-gray_ kind of color, instead," the redhead joked after the door had closed behind Cornelia, winking at a softly giggling Hay Lin, before taking a much needed seat upon the curb in front of the establishment's entrance.

"Yeah, maybe . . ." the frail girl trailed off with a nod, taking a seat next to Will as her simper softened a bit, and her wheat colored cheeks grew rosy in shyness. "Listen . . . thank you, again, for what you did out there -- What you did, _period_, bothering to find me and all. I didn't honestly think anyone else within this city cared enough for me like that, besides _Alchemy_, anyway. . . ."

Now it was Will's turn to blush in affect, feeling quite awkward and taken aback to the other girl's continued words of appreciation. Emotional, mushy moments wasn't really her forte, as they made her feel too vulnerable, and were usually left up to _Taranee_ to handle in her stead most of the time, as she was the more sensitive of the two.

"U-Uh, yeah, well . . . I mean, it isn't really _like_ that, though, Hay Lin. That is, it's like I told you back at the cave when I first found you: Bullies and idiots like Brown I've never been able to really tolerate before, so I just mainly went after you as a way to put a wrench within _whatever_ morbid plan she might have had brewing, _I_ don't know," she said swiftly, as she looked away and out into the relatively empty street, raising a hand to her cheek and pretending to scratch away an itch, in futile attempts to shield the rouge spreading across it from Hay Lin's view.

But _she_, however, was not buying the excuse.

Nonetheless, Hay Lin didn't push the issue any further out of respect, as it honestly just made her feel good to know that not everyone was afraid of Elyon, _or_ Cornelia's reign of terror within their community, and were willing to extend out a reaching hand to her when she'd truly needed it the most.

They remained, seated together upon the ground and subconsciously huddled together for warmth in silence for a couple more moments, before Cornelia returned to join them, a satisfied grin beaming upon her otherwise exhausted face.

"Well, Marshall should be here very shortly, and . . . I _suppose_, take you two to _wherever_ it is you live, although I'd honestly thought it was somewhere around _here_, being that you _are_ . . . never mind," she said, waving a hand in dismissal to both her would-be insult, and offended looks from her seated rivals she was then receiving. "I'm too tired to bother wasting any more of my precious breath on the likes of you. This ride I'm offering you, though, we can . . . call it even for . . . _you_ know. . . ."

"Um, _rescuing_ you? Saving your _life?_ Helping you _walk?_ Take your pick," Will uttered with a fatigued yawn, as she looked away from her, she too no longer in any mood to quarrel further with the blue eyed girl standing lopsidedly next to her.

Besides, she was well aware that that was the closest to an outright "Thank You" she was ever going to get out of the uppity teenager.

"Yeah . . . _that_," Cornelia emphasized, hopping a couple of steps before she'd managed to sink down to the ground to sit, as well, scooting a few inches away from the redhead. "I just want to get _out_ of here, and put this _whole_ incident far behind me. I don't even _want_ to know what I look like right now, since, based upon that clerk guy's startled, _gawking_ reaction when I went inside, it _can't_ be good. Thank _God_ Jare's not here to see me like this. . . ."

No one bothered to respond to that, the urge to sleep beginning to set in and becoming too overpowering to manage to muster up any new words to further the bizarre conversation along. Thankfully, however, and surprisingly true to her word, Cornelia's apparent family driver, Marshall, had appeared with the white colored, stretch limousine around fifteen minutes later, nearly taking out a nearby stop sign while abruptly turning into the gas station.

"_Geez_ . . . I guess 'Mommy and Daddy' were really worried about their precious daughter never having come home after all this time, huh?" Will murmured underneath her breath and leaning towards Hay Lin, as they continued to watch the large vehicle whip around with alarming speed until facing them, all four tires screeching to an abrupt halt.

Cornelia eagerly jumped to her feet and practically skipped over to the right side passenger door, swinging it open with a blessed relish.

"_Thank_ you, Heaven Almighty! Home sweet home, here I come!" she cheered with a raise of her left hand towards the darkened, starlit sky, almost in worship. She then turned to look at Will and Hay Lin, who remained sedentary with a vaguely wary expression riddled upon the both of their faces. "_Well??_ Are you coming, or _not? _This is a _one_ time deal, you know, so don't, like, get to thinking that we're all going to be the best of _friends_ after this. As _soon_ as tomorrow rolls around, you're _both_ going back to being little specks of _dust_ upon my social radar, _got_ it? Oh! And we will never, _ever_ mention this to anyone, either. . . ."

"_Perish_ the thought," Will muttered with a roll of her eyes, as Hay Lin sleepily yawned, too, with a tiny smile, before both girls at last stood from their spots and hesitantly slid into the limo alongside the vicious blonde.

So long as they were finally going to their separate homes, the both of them couldn't have cared less what Cornelia had to say next.

Besides, even if any of them would ever truly get the urge to divulge the unconventional, and quite inexplicable events to any one of their friends or loved ones in detail, there was no guarantee anyone would believe it, when even they, _themselves_, found it all quite difficult to swallow.

All that could be done about it, was to bump the experience up to a pure fluke, before moving on with their individual lives . . . however, little did those three know, that their lives, as they'd once known them, would never be the same, _nor_ individual again.

**-- End of Chapter Six**

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**(A.N. YES! I've done it! :Collapses: Another fourteen pages! This chapter as literally been camping out within my brain for a month, now, ever since first concocting this entire story. And now, finally, it is out here in the open, for all of you to enjoy and review about . . . I think. LoL I'M okay with it, anyway, especially since I was able to knock it out in one shot/sitting at the computer. So yay for me. LoL Oh! And right. PLEASE don't come at me with questions about how/why it was the SUN to cause the SUN – Not Moon, in my story, anyway LoL – pool to bubble bubble, toil and trouble like that. LoL Most of you who read my stories are used to my style and way of thinking, and know that if I wrote it down and posted it as is, then it's usually for a reason. And, like I'd said earlier in my other note, it at least makes sense in my HEAD right now, what I have planned. LoL I'M just worried about what I have later on down the road, as part of the main-main plot. Lord, help me with that. . . . LoL What else? Oh yeah! Also, please don't tell me how OOC Will might have seemed in here, to have boldly gone after Cornelia every step of the way, verbally. Besides, again and as I'd already stated from the start, this story being quite OOC in general for each WITCH gal, I like to think of Will – In here, I mean – as a mixture of both her comic book and animated series incarnation, since she HAD been a lot more confident and forthright in the show and less insecure, etc. Um . . . what else, what else. Sorry, all you Cornelia fans who might be reading, if you're upset at how she's being portrayed. I'm honestly NOT trying to piss anyone off here over here, OR make her seem INCREDIBLY stupid...LoL It's just how she comes off, that's all. Trust me, I won't completely harpoon the girl, okay? But yeah! I think that's it, I guess. Just. Yeah. PLEASE don't rant to me about what happened down in that cave, one – description wise – I'd modeled after the beautiful Grottes de Choranche in France. Pretty stuff, man, pretty stuff. . . . LoL Laters!)**


	8. Chapter Seven

**Sirène: HCW**

**By: Sokai**

**Disclaimer: **I, Sokai, do not claim ownership to the workings of W.I.T.C.H. -- I leave _that_ honor up to Elisabetta Gnone. Nor do I own the Australian television program, "H2O: Just Add Water," created by Jonathan M. Shiff Productions (even though this story's only inspired by said show, not an official crossover). However, I can and DO claim to own this story and its inspired ideas FROM said series.

Note: _Woot, woot! I diiiid it, I diiiid it! :Dances: Chapter six was actually a hit! Hell, this story on the whole now's a (growing) hit, as well!! Yay! All that worrying and crap was for nothing. LoL AND, a lot of you actually like/prefer the idea of a sun pool, vs. the moon pool that's established in H2O, feeling it's more appropriate for mermaids (in general, not just mine LoL). Thankies! I dunno; what can I say? My mind's constantly thinking, thinking, __thinking__, making sure everything is either "perfect" (to/for __me__), and/or makes sense and would work/flow. So . . . you're all in good hands with me for this story . . . I think. I dunno. Don't quote me! LoL :Knocks on wood: LoL_

_Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for!! The mermaid transformation for each girl! AND! Oh, oh! It's pretty . . . pretty LoL And unique, I think, anyway. MUST be, if so many people have already added each drawing of the girls, I'd quickly sketched (and it shows . . . eww LoL) a couple months ago, to their faves over on deviantART. Thanks again, for that by the way! For the rest of you who might not be members and/or haven't seen them yet, I'll add the links at the very end of my profile for you to check it out! And, AS always, thanks again, everyone, who'd been leaving such wonderful reviews!_

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This chapter was created/written in August 2008.

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i** Chapter Seven **i

After the tumultuous evening that she had had, Will couldn't wait to get to the Rec Center for her early morning swim, despite her continued fatigue from last night's bizarre and unexpected adventure. She desperately needed a leisurely float about and to submerge her entire body into its cooling water, as a way to relax her bundled up nerves from the previous day.

After having been dropped off by Cornelia, before Hay Lin (who had been slumbering by that time, and most likely hadn't even realized she had gone until it was too late), the only thing that Will wanted to do was to go straight to bed, almost forgoing the thorough shower that her ravaged body had sorely needed.

She could only thank God that her mother, Susan, was away until the weekend for an important business trip in representation of her place of employment, Simultech, an industrial software-developing company. Of her two parents, Will was unfortunately quite familiar, on a personal level, with the fact that her _mother_ was the most strict, and so would have expected an in depth explanation as to both her daughter's whereabouts as well as chaotic appearance, before swiftly _punishing_ her for having nearly broken curfew.

_It's a good thing, then, that __Dean__ is pretty much a __pushover__ and inexperienced as a parent, for the most part, and actually bought my lame story of getting into a food fight with some friends, before merely losing track of time_, Will thought with a tired, small smile to herself in reflection of her new stepfather, as she left the locker room after having changed into her swimsuit. _I only feel bad to know that Rae had kept calling the house, asking for me. . . ._

Will felt even worse that she had fallen asleep the moment her head had hit her pillows, after her long shower, and was unable to return her concerned friend's phone call. But she felt all the _more_ blameworthy knowing that, despite the new day, the redhead _still_ hadn't called Taranee, with the exception of leaving a quick message upon her cellphone that went straight to her voice mail, feeding her the same mendacity that she had given to Dean.

It was honestly the first time that the cardinal locked young woman had ever been dishonest to the kindhearted intellectual, and it turned her stomach the more she thought about it. However, the very reason Will had lied was the same reason that she hadn't wished to speak to Taranee just yet.

"What can I tell her? That I'd stumbled into some freakish, underground _jacuzzi_ with my _worst_ enemy and the new kid, who's also Public Enemy Number One to her? Rae would probably think that _that_ was a lie, itself, instead of the one that I'd concocted," Will murmured underneath her breath, tossing her towel onto the ground near the pool's edge. "No. Rae and I may be pretty close, but that doesn't mean that she needs to know _everything_ I might do or go through. I'm just going to try and forget all about it. . . ."

Opting not to put her goggles nor swim cap on just yet, as she only intended to first float for a little bit before swimming a couple of laps, Will gently rubbed her hands together while taking a deep breath and holding it, before elegantly diving front first into the Olympic sized pool.

The familiar, cooling sensation of the water brought an instant smile to her tanned visage as she remained submerged, all thoughts, woes and concerns about the previous night and even the guilt over having misled her best friend effortlessly forgotten, if only for that moment.

With a satisfied exhale after leisurely returning to the surface, wadding within the water for a moment before transitioning into a float upon her strong back, Will suddenly felt a bizarre tingling within her lower abdomen. For a split second, she had thought that, perhaps she might have been experiencing an early onset of menstrual cramps; however, the moment the curious sensations immediately spread throughout the rest of her body, Will knew better.

"W . . . what's _happening_ to me??" she ushered breathlessly in alarm, quickly gripping onto one of the yellow colored lane dividers nearest to her for support, in case her body decided to cramp up completely, with no one present to help fish her out of a potentially watery grave.

As though in response to her befuddled inquiry, a sudden, lukewarm wave of energy overwhelmed Will's body, at the same time that a large torrent of water inexplicably enveloped her entire being. Never had she ever felt like this, almost feeling as though she no longer had any bones within her body. . . .

And then, within an instant, it was over, leaving Will feeling just as perplexed as ever, as the tingling sensations subsided and the encasing water receded.

"Now, _that_ was . . ._weird??_ Oh! _Holy smokes!! _Where are my _legs??_" the redhead shrieked in terror, the moment she made a movement to begin kicking her slender appendages throughout the water once more now that she felt a bit better . . . but could do nothing of the sort.

Instead, as she was beyond surprised to gaze upon, once she'd looked down and into the water, there was only, in her legs' place, what looked to be a long, _strong_, and majestic looking silver colored . . . _fish's tail??_

Will's entire mind and body -- What was _left_ of it, at least -- went completely numb at the sight, a deep chill running down her spine, as the only thing that she could manage to do at that particular moment was scream.

And that she did, with fantastic gusto, the high pitched wail effortlessly reverberating throughout the entire and grand Rec Center. How did this happen? _Why_ did this happen, and to _her?_ Moreover, was this all merely some sort of dream? And, if not, was this eerie metamorphosis _permanent?_

Will, at last tapped out of air within her lungs to continue on within her warranted cries of panic, felt her head beginning to spin the more she tried to understand what had happened to her. Squeezing her eyes shut tight, she forced herself to take deep, cleansing breaths in order to calm herself down so that she could think of a way out of her newfound debacle.

"Okay, okay . . . _r-relax_, Will! This . . . this all really _is_ just a dream! A-A mere hallucination! _Y-yeah!_ And I'm going to count to three, open my eyes again, and I will be back to normal!" she said to herself within a frenzy, unconsciously holding onto the lane divider for dear life due to her mounting stress. "O-One . . . _two_ --"

"-- _W-Will!!_ Is that _you??_ I heard someone _screaming!!_ Will, where _are_ you??"

"Oh! My _God!_ Rae! I _can't_ let her see me like this!!" Will hissed to herself in affect, popping her eyes back open after having instantly recognized the new, disembodied female voice that echoed into the otherwise empty Recreational Center to be Taranee's.

Without thinking, the redhead hybrid swiftly let go of the lane divider and ducked back underneath the water, forgetting to take a deep breath beforehand. However, the moment her entire body was once again submerged within the water, letting herself slowly sink to the very bottom and hugging the wall for better cover, Will curiously felt as though she hadn't honestly needed to do so at all.

It was almost as though she could have opened her mouth, or breathed through her nose again right then and there despite her watery surroundings, and it would not have made any difference, nor been a natural detrimental to her health as a result.

Because, strange as it all was, the water just seemed . . . significantly _different_ to Will, almost as though its previous laws and limitations no longer applied to her, now that she was . . . _whatever_ she now happened to be.

Keeping perfectly still, Will strained to listen carefully to where she surmised Taranee might have been above the surface, and soon realized that not only was her hearing significantly improved, to the point of tuning into every last vibration emitted throughout her surroundings, but even her _vision_ was now somehow fantastically enhanced.

"Will! _Will??_ I _swear_ that I'd heard her. . . ." Will effortlessly could hear Taranee worriedly mutter to herself as she hurriedly walked along the pool's edge, no doubt looking every which way for the missing redhead.

_Great. Now I feel even __more__ guilty about everything_, Will thought, frowning lightly. _I can't keep hiding like this, not while Rae continues to believe that I might have drowned or been kidnapped or something . . . even though I look like an honest science experiment gone horribly, __horribly__ wrong. She's my best friend; so, __hopefully__, that should be enough. . . ._

Bracing herself for the undoubted fright fest and screaming to ensue, the very moment Will revealed herself to the raven haired girl, she slowly lifted her body up towards the surface with primarily her arms' help, until her moist head was the only thing poking out of the water.

"Uh . . . _h-here_ I am, Rae," Will spoke a bit meekly, watching with increased nerves as Taranee tensed up in surprise from her place several feet away, before swiftly whirling around to meet her gaze.

"W . . . Will?? What . . . where'd you come from? And . . . oh, _God!_ What's the matter with your _hair??_ Your f_ace??_ A-And your _eyes??_" Taranee ushered in profound shock and unease, extending a shaky index finger out towards her close friend, before nearly collapsing onto the cement ground.

Dumbfounded, Will could only raise an eyebrow as her only response for a few moments, before finally speaking.

"W-Wait, I don't understand, Rae. You mean there's something wrong with the _rest_ of me, too??" she inquired within an honest haze, the continued shock of the current fiasco beginning to become a bit too much for her mind to process any longer.

At this, it was Taranee's turn to peer at the other, questionable girl with befuddled eyes from behind her eyeglasses, nodding slowly as she blindly reached into the front compartment of her book bag, and pulled out what looked like a tiny, oval shaped and red tinted mirror compact.

"U-Um, _yeah??_ How could you _not_ know?? Just _look_ at you!!" the studious girl bellowed with fantastic concern for her dearest friend, hastily popping open the accessory, before practically shoving it into Will's apparently curious looking visage. "And what do you _mean_, 'the _rest_ of you??' _Don't_ tell me you're _sick_ or something, with some newfound disease, Will, since this is definitely _not_ normal!!"

Cringing at the display of the increased hysteria effortlessly exuding from the mocha skinned teenager, Will, with her heart pounding furiously behind her breastplate, like the first onset of drums sounding during times of war, she shakily seized the mirror from Taranee's grasp and let out an immediate cry at what she saw.

In addition to having inexplicably lost her legs to a glorious, impressive silver tail, the rest of her appearance had indeed also metamorphosed, as well. Her hair, as Taranee had already noted, it once being a brilliant shade of cherry red and bob length, was now a sort of soft, lavender languid blend while gently caressing her shoulders.

Even her formerly rich, chocolate hued eyes had apparently followed suit, as they too unrecognizingly peered back at her within the same tint as her newfound hair. What was most eerie about the pair, however, was that, despite the distinct change in eye color, Will could still clearly make out a halo of sorts, of her original eye color, that surrounded the now light colored pupils.

Perhaps what was most disturbing for the erstwhile redhead to have caught sight of upon her once normal countenance, were the curious, almost freckle-like markings, the same color as both her eyes and her hair, that hugged at themselves and began underneath her eyes, before strategically trailing down to the side of her tawny cheeks.

"H-How . . . I-I mean. . . . What's _happened_ to me, Taranee??" Will gushed with extreme trepidation after her full on inspection of her suddenly transformed face, no longer able to keep a calm resolve, as faulty as it had primarily been to begin with. She lowered the mirror compact away from her field of sight and locked eyes with her best friend, desperately searching her own, _normal_ visage for answers the two were in dire need of.

However, much to her dismay, she was only met with an unwanted, as well as undeniable surplus of Taranee's _own_ fear, brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears. And it was at that moment that Will's heart began to break, as she'd then realized that the other girl's fright had not been triggered _for_ her, but _of_ her. . . .

Unable to speak upon witnessing such a gutwrenching display, both Will and Taranee shared what felt like an eon's worth of silence, as the two could only gaze at one another in shared confusion and unease, the air around them becoming steadily thick with tension.

Finally, after several more moments had passed, with the eerily transformed young woman no longer able to stomach anymore, Will was the first to break the silence . . . by roughly bringing down the hand that still clasped her friend's bright red mirror compact to the moist concrete ground before her, and shattering it in the process.

Taranee let out a sharp cry and swiftly backed away from the questionable girl partially submerged before her, at the same time that Will began to speak within a heated frenzy.

"_Damn_ it, Rae!! Will you please _stop_ looking at me as though I'm going to jump out of this pool and _devour_ you at any second?? I'm _just_ as scared, confused, and _sick_ to my stomach as you are, all right -- And _you're_ not even the one whose face and hair resembles that of a _sideshow freak's_, or whose legs disappeared and got traded in for a _fish_ tail, as though I were now a can of _tuna!!_" she exclaimed in continued hurt and anguish, her formerly trapped tears now freely spilling down onto her spotted cheeks with heartbreaking relish. "You're . . . you're honestly my _best friend_, you know? So, just . . . p-please . . . _please_, Rae. . . . _Don't_ be afraid of me and leave me here. . . ."

Although the current scene of her fellow, foremost comrade's uncharacteristic unraveling touched her heart more than she ever thought it could, _still_, Taranee could not help but to find herself feeling a bit unsure of what to do next.

She allowed herself a moment's pause, in order for her normally quite coherent mind to reboot itself, long enough to weigh out both the situation as well as her own, personal options. Indeed, Taranee _was_ quite fearful of Will at the moment, she would not lie to herself, especially having witnessed the almost superhuman strength at the way the other girl had broken her compact with such force.

Will was strong, both emotionally as well as physically, of that Taranee had always been aware. However, never had she ever seen the redhead exhibit such vigor at the drop of a dime . . . even _if_ it had only been used to dismantle a small accessory.

Did she really really want to further associate herself with one who could just as easily turn on _her_ and could possibly perform the same sort of damage in no time at all?

_Not to mention that her outer appearance had been frightfully altered, __including__ her legs,_ Taranee continued to ponder in silence, forcing her breathing to slow in order to calm herself down, reaching up to wipe away a stray tear of her own that had begun to escape from her left eye. _Wait a minute. That's right! Will had said her legs are . . . are gone, with a __tail__ in its place?? Then __that__ must mean. . . ._

Summoning an incredible amount of courage that she hadn't the slightest inclination she could ever possess at one time, Taranee cautiously crept closer to her very distressed companion, immediately disregarding all of the cons her mind had cited, and merely drew comfort as well as resolution upon the only pro that truly mattered:

Will was, through and through, her greatest friend, and she would stick by her, _regardless_.

". . . . I-I . . . I'm sorry, Will. _Really_, I am," the raven haired girl began to apologize, her voice still a bit quivery while she continued to carefully make her way closer to the former redhead, who only gazed back at her with continually pleading eyes. On the one upside for the moment, however, tears had stopped shedding from them. "I won't lie and tell you that I'm not afraid, because I honestly am. . . . B-But, you're my _friend_, and I'm _going_ to help you in any way that I can -- _Especially_ now that you've apparently been turned into a . . . a. . . ."

"A . . . a _what_, Rae?? Been turned into a _what??_" Will pressingly asked in between breaths during her momentary relief, trying to calm herself down, as well. In her steady upset, however, she unconsciously began to swish her thick, silvery tail back and forth within the water, causing some of it to gurgle and jump out of the pool and into her friend's face, just as Taranee had leaned forward and gazed down to confirm her newly formulated suspicions.

"_Ahh!!_" Taranee shrieked in alarm, falling backward onto her backside and furiously wiping the water residue away from her now moist face, while Will, blushing intensely, gasped in abashment.

"Oh! Rae, I'm _so_ sorry!! I-I didn't mean to! That is --! _Ugh!_ I don't really know how to _control_ this thing just yet!" she rambled in extended embarrassment, breathing a great sigh of alleviation the moment she'd witnessed Taranee only smiling gently at her in response once she'd finished drying her face as best that she could.

"It's . . . all right, Will. I'd imagine that it would be tough for _anyone_ -- Formerly _human_, anyway -- to understand how to move their mermaid's tail. . . ." she trailed off with tact, struggling to keep her faint simper upon her complexion, as she maintained eye contact with the other girl and allowed the revelation to properly sink in.

Will's countenance immediately went slack upon hearing this, mouth partially agape. _Mermaid??_ As in, half human female, half aquatic creature of the deep?? Of all of the explanations that had hurriedly rushed through Will's mind for that entire time, that had been the _furthest_ from ever having done so.

And why _should_ it have? Mermaids were mere legends -- _Myths_ at best, that had been manifested by lonely sailors of the great past, and then later romanticized by people of today. So therefore, there was no conceivable way that Will, herself, was now a part of, a living embodiment of such a fabled entity.

Taranee expected her friend to either burst into tears once more, or scream relentlessly at the newfound theory; however, she was greatly surprised as Will, instead, began to laugh uncontrollably, to near hysterics.

"W-Will?? Are you okay??" the brown eyed girl inquired in intermingled concern and perplexity, crawling back over to the giggling girl before her.

Will, in the midst of her glee, nodded briskly within initial reply, once more feeling her submerged tail move without concentrated prompt, this time swaying much more lackadaisically than before.

"Y-Yeah, Rae, yeah," she began, at last beginning to regain her composure, although a few soft chuckles would escape from her lips every now and again. "It's just that, well, I mean, I know that you're 'Miss Know-It-All' and pretty much my 'Go-To-Gal' for whenever I need answers straightaway -- Especially since you're usually correct in whatever it is I might be asking you about. But, _this_, however, has _got_ to be _the_ most _ridiculous_ solution you have _ever_ come up with!"

Taranee couldn't help but scowl deeply at this, looking away from the smirking girl and down into the pool's clear, inviting water towards her imperial tail.

"Well, do _you_ have any better ideas?? And it _wasn't_ a solution, Will, but only _speculation_," she responded in indignation, still peering at her friend's new "rear end," almost feeling a bit mesmerized by the sight of it despite the ever present uneasiness she felt by the overall situation. After all, it wasn't everyday that one witnessed a miracle such as this, something once thought to be only possible within a fairytale.

It was almost humbling, in a way.

Taranee faintly smiled as she watched Will's translucent, regal looking fin lazily folding itself within the water's current, as though waving up at her in greeting.

"Speculation -- _Theory --_ Hunch -- _Whatever!_ It _still_ doesn't explain what's _happened_ to me, _or_ confirm what I now _am!_" she could hear Will's voice break through her distracted, momentary daze, exhaling dryly in the process. "I am _not_ a . . . a. . . . _See?_ I can't even _say_ it, it's _that_ idiotic!"

Taranee let a soft sigh, rubbing her temples in frustration.

"A _mermaid_, Will, yes. And what's so idiotic _about_ it?? It's never stopped you from watching shows or movies that feature them, right?? _Especially_ not one in particular, with the star mermaid who looks an _awful_ lot like --"

"-- Do _not_ even say it, Rae, that I now _resemble_ that mermaid, just because we both have _red_ hair and _fins_," Will interrupted in a huff, placing a now wrinkled index finger into the air to further silence her friend's train of thought. "Or, at least, I _used_ to have red hair, anyway, not to mention that _I_ don't have a _green_ tail as _she_ does. . . . _A-Anyway!_ Why are we even _discussing_ this _or_ cartoon, _fictional_ characters as though it holds any _merit_, what so ever??"

"Because it _does??_ All right, fine. Since you're so big on _science_, let's look at it _this_ way: If you now just happen to possess the same components as these so called '_fictional characters_,' as you'd said, would it then be wrong to hypothesize that, perhaps, _you_ might _also_ be a mermaid as _they_ are, yourself??" Taranee offered in all seriousness, her knowledgeable side effortlessly taking over as her mind began to work out this impromptu equation as though it were a math problem.

And knowing how much Will, herself, preferred to base everything upon solid fact (being the natural scientist that she was) before merely jumping the gun, she knew that approaching the continually doubtful girl in this manner would possibly conclude with better results than before.

Sure enough, Taranee watched in relieved satisfaction as Will's multicolored face scrunched up within a very displeased, although far more respondent manner, before speaking.

". . . . All right, _fine_. So, say, I were to go along with this . . . _query_ of yours. Do you have a sturdy explanation as to _why_ this has happened??" she asked challengingly, narrowing her uniquely hued eyes at her friend, who could only shake her head, in slight defeat. "Then would you kindly help me _out_ of here, please? I'm starting to turn into an honest _prune_. . . ."

At this, it was Taranee's turn to begin a small fit of laughter of her own. Apparent mermaid or not, she knew full well that this would not be an easy task, now that her friend's saturated body had taken quite some time to become a lot more dense and thus, a lot heavier in the process.

_And now that she's part fish, who __knows__ how much that tail of hers, alone, might weigh_, the caramel hued girl mused with an inward groan, before carefully seizing both of Will's outstretched arms just then, both girls bracing themselves for the undoubtedly difficult task at hand.

"Okay, on the count of three, _I'll_ pull, and _you_ just . . . I-I don't know. Just propel yourself out of the water at the same time, or something, all right?" Taranee directed in concentration, not wishing to waste any more time, lest the luck they'd captured thus far abruptly run out, the moment anyone else, namely _Mr. Townson_ might, for whatever reason, unexpectedly come upon the scene.

Will merely nodded in understanding, she too beginning to feel just as anxious and understanding of the urgency to leave the premises before getting caught, God forbid . . . although, _how_ she would leave, exactly, now that she no longer possessed her normal appendages, was yet another mystery to unravel.

"All right . . . one, two, _three!_" Taranee grunted, using all of her might to help pull her friend from out of the water, while she simultaneously did her own part to do the same. Although, for the most part, Will hadn't a clue how to reconnect her synapses to the lower part of her body in order to direct them properly, she had somehow managed to push herself out of the water, nonetheless . . . almost as though the water around her had understood her intention and complied.

"_Oof!!_" both girls groaned at the same time, the moment Will's slippery body had unexpectedly collapsed onto Taranee's, before either could prevent it from happening. Will felt her cheeks grow intensely hot from embarrassment as she began to focus upon the girl's labored breathing, feeling her chest deflating and rising more frequently than it would have normally.

_Geez, I must weigh a __ton__, thanks to this stupid tail of mine_, the fair haired changeling thought in mortification, as she continued to lay diagonally on top of Taranee, who, in between gasps, managed to squeak out, "W-Will, could you _please_ get off of me?? I feel like my chest's being crushed by a _Baby Grand Piano!!_"

Without another word, Will swiftly did as was requested of her, rolling off of Taranee and flat onto her back next to her. Despite her continued abashment, she couldn't help but lightly smile as she stared idly up at the high up ceiling of the otherwise empty Rec Center, listening to Taranee begin to furiously cough for renewed air.

"Glad you find it so _funny_," the dark haired teenager muttered, after successfully getting her breathing back to normal, apparently catching sight of her friend's amused expression.

"Sorry, Rae," Will said with an apologetic smile as she turned her moist head to look properly at the other girl, before slowly sitting up within her spot, as best that she could. "But I think _I'd_ rather been crushed by that metaphorical Baby Grand of yours, instead of being stuck looking like _sushi_ right now. . . ."

Taranee sighed, nodding in understanding, cringing a bit as she began to feel the water that Will had inadvertently spilled onto her the moment she had landed upon her, seeping into her partially dry clothes and onto her skin.

"Yeah, well. . . . We're going to figure all of this out, okay? Don't worry about it -- You're not alone," she remarked softly, carefully rising to her feet and peering down at a helpless looking Will, who gazed back up at her questionably. "First things first, though: We'd better get you -- And now myself, thank you -- dried off before we try to move you some place safe. You're _way_ too heavy _and_ slippery to lug around right now, otherwise."

With only a sigh, Will waited and watched patiently, as Taranee quickly walked over to Will's momentarily forgotten belongings in the near distance, and seized the large towel she had placed upon her duffel bag. Without thinking, Will began to idly trail her left hand down towards her powerful, yet delicate looking tail to touch it for the first time, while the elbow of her right hand continued to prop her body up.

Despite its blatant beauty, she could not help but feel a rush of pure disdain towards it, even as its overall silvery hue glinted and shimmered within the overhead lights of the Rec Center, giving off faint, yet detectable traces of other tints upon every scale to perform a breathtaking kaleidescope of color.

It may have been undeniably remarkable, true, but it was also undeniably _unnatural_ and _wrong_.

She wanted her _legs_ back!

"_Eww!!_" Will squealed in immediate disgust with a wrinkling of her nose, the moment her hand rested upon her tail to caress it. She swiftly raised it into the air, nearly gagging at the sight of the unknown, inexplicable slimy substance that now caked her appendage.

Taranee lightly giggled at her comrade's expense as she approached, despite finding the scene just as revolting.

"Ah, the _mucus_, I'm going to presume," she began, giggling harder as her eyes met with the other girl's dejected stare. "Hey, it isn't _my_ fault. I mean, think about it: You _are_, technically, part fish, almost, and so naturally would have, need, and be coated with the same sort of . . . _slime_ as they, and for the same reason: To protect you from any sort of infection, as well as to make it easier to swim, by reducing friction with the water."

"Yes . . . I'm _aware_ of all of that, thanks -- _Hello_, science buff, remember??" Will hissed in irritation, raising her congealed hand up as though for emphasis, as Taranee crouched back down beside her. "It _still_ doesn't take away from the fact that this is _by_ far, _the_ most disgusting, _horrific_ experience of my life!! _Or_ the fact that I'm probably going to forever be stuck being a human -- Or _inhuman_, rather, _slime factory!_"

Letting out a sympathetic sigh, gently drying herself off a bit before beginning to do the same for her renewed, frazzled friend in turn, Taranee, in an attempt to cheer her up, weakly offered, "Well, at least you'll make one heck of an interesting, tantalizing science experiment for yourself, if that's any consolation."

Will merely gave the young woman an incredulous look in response, one that said it all, before looking abruptly away from her and sitting in silence, while waiting impatiently to be dried off. Taranee took care in drying off her chest and back first, as awkwardly as that was, before doing the same for her tail, so as not to spread any more of the girl's natural secretions onto the rest of her body.

"Hmm. . . ." she murmured thoughtfully to herself, pausing a moment to begin drying Will's back, after having gently as well as quickly dabbed at her uniquely scale covered chest, which curiously did not appear to be as mucus saturated, if at all, as the scales upon her tail.

". . . . What, _now?_" Will murmured in question, exhaling in defeat as she stared ahead at nothing in particular, already resigning herself to whatever new discoveries her friend might have found upon her body . . . no matter _how_ vile.

Sure enough. . . .

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, really. . . . It's just . . . I see that, on each of your shoulder blades, you have three . . . _slits_, so to speak, that look almost like _gills_," Taranee revealed, as delicately as she could, alongside her increased fascination. She hesitated for a moment, before gently running a finger over the marks upon Will's right shoulder blade.

Will shivered slightly at the unexpected touch and weird sensation, her stomach reeling even more from the additional news.

"_Gills??_ Well, _Jesus_ -- I really _am_ a freaking _fish!!_" she cried, turning her light colored head in attempt to peer at the anomaly for herself. "But, _wait_ a second. If I really _do_ have gills back there . . . then how am I able to breathe right _now?_ The _air_, I mean??"

Taranee frowned in reflection, resuming her task of drying the rest of Will's back.

"That's a very good question. . . . When you were under the water, _were_ you also able to breathe then, as well, or had to naturally hold in your breath?" she asked with a serious tone, gently handing over the partially moist towel over to her friend to finish herself off, while she went back to studying her quite perplexing back.

"Uh . . . yeah, actually, I _was_ -- Able to breathe then, as well, I mean," Will replied thoughtfully, reflecting upon the moment, as she hurriedly began to squeeze out the remaining water from her slightly soaked hair, before moving onto her nuisance of a tail, at last. "I mean, at first I can remember holding it in -- Or at least I _thought_ that I was, anyway. But then, after a while, I just slowly began to realize that I really didn't _need_ to, because I could inhale the water just fine, as though _it_ had been actual air, instead. . . . I can even recall thinking how much more . . . _heightened_ my senses were -- _Still_ are. . . ."

Taranee looked up from her friend's questionable back, to instead gaze upon her face in curiosity.

"Oh, yeah? How so?"

"I don't know . . . just . . . everything just seems _a lot_ more . . . _significant_ to me, I guess. Like I'm much more aware of _everything_, now -- The water's surroundings while I was in there and underneath it, and then how my sight is _definitely_ a lot more acute . . . like a cat's or something, almost. . . ." Will explained as best she could, trailing off as she then began to grow uncomfortable, making note of all of the more considerable changes within and about her.

The more that she would, the far less human and still like herself she felt. . . .

Sensing her compatriot's increasing upset all over again, Taranee gave Will's back one final look before moving to her side, sitting beside her and giving her as generous a smile as she could manage.

"Hey . . . I wouldn't worry about it so much, all right? I mean . . . _yes_, all right, this definitely is _not_ normal, and neither of us can actively explain how or _why_ it's happened. But we'll take the right sort of steps to make sure we eventually _can_," she said warmly, resting a comforting hand upon the tawny skinned girl's now completely dry shoulder. "We're already comprising a list of things that are both new and different about or _for_ you, right? So all we have to do is keep all of it in mind as we work our way backwards _from_ there. And . . . if it helps to know, your . . . gills seem to have mysteriously closed up a bit, almost as though they've 'shut down' or something, in order to allow your lungs to resume its _own_ function, I suppose, now that you're out of the water. . . . It's pretty neat, actually. . . ."

Will, having been vigorously rubbing at her tail (despite the slight pain the fierce friction it would cause in the process) in attempts to dry it, although primarily to remove as much of her unwanted mucus, instantly stopped upon hearing these words, her heart sinking.

"Rae, honestly? No, this _isn't_ neat, _or_ cool, fun, or _anything_," she began dolefully, looking at her best friend with equally saddened eyes. "Have you even stopped to realize that now, _because_ of all of this, I won't _ever_ be able to walk again? And school and family is _definitely_ out of the question. I'm going to be stuck this way for --"

Will abruptly cut herself off right then, the moment she curiously began to feel the same warm, slightly tingling sensation coursing throughout her entire body, the one she had felt right before she had mystically undergone her change.

"W-Will! _Look!_" Taranee gasped in alarm, backing away a bit, as her brown eyes widened in both shock and amazement at the scene unfolding before her. Will at last turned her attention away from her friend and back onto her tail once more . . . which, as she was able to witness just in time, had then begun to glow with a soft hue, the same as her hair and eyes, before intensifying and spreading up to the rest of her body.

And then, it was over, just as quickly as it had began, as the light began to diminish within a wave-like effect that was almost reminiscent of the ones created within the swimming pool before the pair . . . and, just as miraculously, a pair of smooth, tanned and slender legs lay together within the tail's place.

Both girls could only stare, with fantastically widened eyes, unable to formulate any sort of coherent word or sound outside of the steady gasps the two would alternatively emit every so often. After allowing a couple more moments to pass, in order to properly register, as best that they could, what had just transpired, Will was the first to speak.

"My . . . my_ legs!_ Rae, m-my _legs_ are back!! They're here! _Look_ at them!!" she cried within hysterical glee, swiftly descending upon them with both hands, caressing and pinching them over and over to make absolutely sure that they were really there.

Taranee could only nod slowly in agreement for a moment, blinking repeatedly as she took off her glasses to pinch at the bridge of her nose.

"Uh . . . y-yeah, they are, Will," she managed to muster, her mind still in shock over the seemingly magical display in which the girl's formerly vanished appendages had reappeared. It was then that Taranee had also finally taken notice that not only were Will's legs returned to her, but so too were both her natural hair color and length, in addition to her swimsuit. "Oh, wow . . . and apparently the _rest_ of you is back, as well. . . ."

Will looked up at this and towards her best friend, the grin upon her continually relieved countenance practically expanding well beyond its natural confines. She followed Taranee's gaze and simple point of her finger and looked down, at last paying attention to the rest of her body, just as a couple strands of her crimson locks fell gently across her eye, as though in salutation.

"Oh, my God, you're right! My swimsuit is back on me, dry as a bone, a-and _look!_ My _hair!_ It's red and short again!" she exclaimed with profound jubilation, gripping clumps of her tresses within her hand as though to make certain that it was legit. "_Wait!_ What about my eyes and face, then?? Are _they_ all right and back to normal, too??"

"Yes, Will, they definitely are," Taranee confirmed with a slowly appearing grin and nod, replacing her eye wear back onto her face, as she looked upon Will's returned, untouched visage and similar brown eyes to her own. "I honestly am at a loss for words over this entire experience -- I _really_ am. It's certainly . . . _spellbinding_, to say the least."

Will let out a slight scoff at this, quickly rising to her feet before helping her friend up and leaving her towel upon the ground.

"I don't care _what_ it was, Rae. I'm just happy that it's finally over! And that I've got my legs -- _And_ life back! Now let's get out of here and get to school, before we _jinx_ things and _you_ start growing _tentacles_ for arms, or something," she joked with another grin, feeling immensely elated that she could actually do such a thing once more. She gently patted Taranee upon the shoulder, before jogging on ahead to grab her belongings and headed towards the locker rooms.

"Gee, _thanks_, Will. Nice to have your old self back again," Taranee remarked with false offense, rolling her eyes heavenward a moment, before bending over to pick up the momentarily forgotten, vaguely goo riddled and moist towel. She then gently giggled to herself, as she watched her much happier companion disappear into the locker rooms to change out of her swimsuit and into the school clothes she had brought with her. "Thank _goodness_ it really _is_ all over. . . ."

* * *

When Cornelia had awakened the next morning, she'd felt completely refreshed and relaxed. No part of her seemed to ache any longer, and curiously, not even her previously sore, sprained ankle . . . well, not as much as before, anyhow.

_That bubble bath had obviously done __wonders_, she sleepily thought, blue eyes remaining closed as she was in no great rush to rise out of her grand and very plush, golden super king sized bed. _It doesn't even really feel like I'd ever gotten injured in the first place, __or__ had a crazy night. . . ._

Cornelia could not believe the incredible luck she had experienced, late last night, upon returning home. And considering the amount of ill-fated fortune she had been dealt for the great duration of her afternoon, up until early evening, that was saying a lot.

Knowing how worrisome her mother, Elizabeth, could be at times, to the point of suffocation (especially when it unfortunately had to do with her little sister, and Cornelia's _supposed_ mistreatment of her), Cornelia had spent the remainder of the limousine ride home trying to concoct an ingenious plan, after having dropped off both Will and Hay Lin to their respective and far less prestigious homes.

It had taken some doing, but she had finally come up with the perfect alibi:

"After Glenys had suggested that I walk home after practice, I was going to do just that. But _then_ I thought, 'What's the rush? It's such a nice, sunny and bright afternoon, so why not enjoy the remainder of it right here on the beach?' So, that's what I did. Laid myself out upon the sand, got a little sunbathing in, and ended up falling asleep and lost track of time," she'd begun her woven set of lies after walking in through the door of her family's penthouse, crafting her tale in such a meticulous fashion that she was so sure her visibly bothered parents standing before her would buy into. "But, of _course_, as you may or may not know -- But _should_, honestly -- a lot of people around here are pretty _jealous_ of me because of our family's wealth and popularity. And . . . I guess a couple of people had thought it'd be _funny_ to play a cruel _prank_ on me, by stealing my sports bag while I slept. . . . Because, by the time I had woken up, realizing that I had _completely_ overslept, it was too late to do anything about it -- Not to mention the condition of my clothes and hair, courtesy of the tide coming in, thank you very much!"

Once Cornelia had gotten all of those fabricated details out of the way, it had been quite easy bringing the entire story home, informing her parents further that because it had been so dark, she had gotten lost during her journey home, and obviously could not have called due to her cellphone having been inside of her bag.

And as for the sprained ankle, it had merely been her own misfortune, after having stepped within an unseen pothole during her continued trek home.

About the only real hiccups within the wealthy blonde's tall tale, had been doing her best to calm down as well as _dissuade_ her mother, especially, from filing a police report for her "stolen" belongings, in addition to writing quite a volatile letter to the city's mayor to do something about the streets of downtown.

Cornelia even found herself trying to convince her father, Harold, not to terminate Glenys's employment as their housekeeper, despite her never truly having gotten along with the older woman. Perhaps it had merely been a former lapse in judgment, fatigue or mere joy to at last be home, safe and sound (and _dry_).

It _certainly_ could not have been _guilt_ of any kind, being that Glenys _had_ actually gone ahead and told Cornelia to attempt walking home, rather than simply wait at the beach for Marshall to come fetch her.

All in all, however (and despite all three of them, both of her parents and including herself, being ferociously upset that she had lost her expensive, favorite pair of lucky golden ice skates, seemingly forever), Cornelia had managed to easily get away with murder.

Her family, even _Lillian_, surprisingly, who had managed to stay up past her bedtime just to see her older sister finally arrive home unharmed (a fact that did not escape Cornelia, and had made her feel quite _vindicated_ to have witnessed the younger girl cowering behind their father with glistened eyes. After all, if it hadn't _been_ for Lillian and her dance lesson, quite honestly, the debacle of the blonde's near death experience wouldn't have even occurred), had all seemed primarily relieved to have Cornelia back home where she belonged to worry about anything else.

Even Marshall, prior to having left the premises for the evening, had seemed to focused upon that notion, as well. For he had not even bothered to pass mention to Mr. and Mrs. Hale about their daughter's curious companions who had been waiting with her at the gas station, when he'd gone to pick her up, the both of them looking just as disheveled as she had.

The thought of having concern over that matter _had_ crossed the girl's mind during her false explanation to her parents, and so had decidedly prepared herself with a backup excuse if need be. She just hadn't seen the _need_ to include those two _ruffians_ within her narration, primarily due to the sole fact that she could not stand either one of them, nor ever would.

_It was bad enough that I had to share my fancy limo ride with them, giving them a taste of the sweet life they __so__ do __not__ deserve -- Let __alone__ the fact that I had spent so long stuck down within that __creepy__ cave with they of all people_, Cornelia mused in bitterness, at last rising from her bed and entering her indulgent, private bathroom with a slight hobble of her legs and stretch of her arms. _Oh, well. It's all over now. At least they can't say that I was never __charitable__ towards them._

With a smug expression of distinct superiority and smirk at the private thought, the sun kissed haired girl's face immediately fell, the moment her eyes had landed upon the bathroom clock hanging upon the soft pink colored wall above her spa bathtub.

"_Seven thirty-five??_ Both the homeroom _and_ late bell has already rung!! Oh, my God!!" she screeched in alarm, immediately peeling off her silk nightgown as quickly as she could, and practically catapulted herself into the separate, walk-in shower that was adjacent to the large tub. "I haven't been late for school since I was eight-years-old! And _that_ was because I had stubbornly fought against Mom and had decided to subdue the massive cold I'd had, rather than stay home! _Now_ how is this going to look to Elyon and the others?? _Ugh!_"

Cornelia felt increasingly enraged, climbing back out of the shower for a moment to seize her electric toothbrush and spearmint flavored toothpaste, in order to simultaneously take care of both her body and teeth to save time. She couldn't believe her luck so far this week. _First_, she'd nearly drowned last night because of Lin and her irritating, new comrade-apparent, _Vandom_.

And now, _this_.

Why hadn't anyone woken her up and let her know of the time?? Had she even honestly bothered to set her alarm clock, as she normally would, before climbing into bed last night?? She had been too exhausted at the time, so the possibility that she really hadn't was quite strong.

_Still!_

That was what servants and maids were for, so that _they_ could wait upon oneself hand and foot while keeping on top of things, such as waking their employer's eldest daughter up for school on time!!

Hurriedly climbing back into the shower, wincing slightly from the renewed, faint pain of her now only vaguely swollen ankle, Cornelia began to mutter a string of obscenities underneath her breath, at the same time that she reached up to put the shower head nozzle straight down before leaning forward to twist both handles on, or having closed the glass door.

She did this, as she always would during the start of each shower, because she knew that the water would still be a bit too cool for her liking, and so therefore didn't wish to get wet quite yet. The blonde let out a frustrated sigh as she tapped her now moist, healthier left foot against the tile floor, while impatiently waiting for the water to shift from lukewarm to scalding hot just the way that she liked it, despite knowing it wasn't particularly good for her so far flawless skin.

Nonetheless, that was how Cornelia preferred her showers _and_ baths, continuing to wait for a few more moments, while beginning to brush her teeth in the meantime. She had only been brushing them for not more than a couple of seconds, before her entire body began to feel quite peculiar . . . as though almost queasy from the familiar, minty taste of her toothpaste.

Swaying a little bit, with electric toothbrush still in hand and buzzing from its on position, Cornelia blindly took a step back and sat down upon the built in shower seat. She needed to try to rest the curious, thrilling sensation that increasingly began to build up within her insides.

Thinking that perhaps she was maybe experiencing a panic attack of sorts, the sole girl swiftly rose back onto her feet to exit the shower, turning off and setting down her toothbrush, when a wave of warmth washed over her entire body . . . in addition to a perplexing cascade of water that had suddenly appeared from out of no where.

Cornelia's mind immediately snapped back to the previous night, when she had been completely submerged within the ocean's waters, otherwise helpless to prevent her inevitable demise, had it not honestly been for both Vandom and Lin's aid. . . .

She began to feel terrified all over again, her hydrophobia effortlessly returning to her tenfold, as she watched the mysterious water flood over her terrified, widened eyes and mouth, drowning her . . . or, so she had thought.

For, just as swiftly as the water had appeared, it was gone, vanishing or evaporating just as quickly as it had accumulated. Cornelia had no time, however, to breath a sigh of relief, as she felt herself falling forward, the undetectable tingling that had enveloped her naked body instantly subsiding.

She let out a sharp cry of pain as she, unable to stop herself, collided into the shower's sturdy and open glass door, before smashing onto the cold, marble bathroom floor.

"_Ouch!!_ My wrist!!" Cornelia hissed in continued affliction, having landed flat onto her stomach as well as her left hand, immediately rolling over onto her back to help alleviate some of the shooting pain that had then began to slightly pulsate within the appendage. "This is _so_ not my morn -- _Ahhhhh!!_"

Cornelia let out a piercing, bloodcurdling scream the moment that her eyes met with quite the startling discovery. . . . There, glistening within all its wondrous glory, was practically a behemoth sized, silvery tail, its slender fin flopping back at her with slight vigor.

Where were her legs?? What has happened to her fantastic, _beautiful_ and all too important _legs??_

That was the extent of her mind's cognitive processing for the time being, as the mortified blonde continued to screech at the top of her lungs at the sight, her newfound tail thrashing back at her as though in equaled perturbation.

"_C-Cornelia??_ I-Is that _you??_ I'd thought you were at school by now! W-What's going on?? Are you _okay??_ I-I can't get into your room!! Unlock the door!!" curiously, Cornelia could effortlessly, even above her own cries, make out her sister, Lillian's rambling, terrified (and for once, concerned) voice sounding from behind her sealed bedroom double doors in the distance.

The older Hale sibling's blood instantly ran cold at this, her brain somehow managing to jump start once again in the process.

It wasn't that Cornelia was surprised to learn that the other girl was still at home, herself, as she was fully aware that Lillian's school day traditionally started a bit later than hers did. It was because, as frightened as she currently was, herself, there was no force upon this Earth, living or otherwise, that which could ever allow her younger and only sister to come in and see her in this way . . . even _if_ the door was thankfully locked, anyhow, and she only wished to help, apparently. . . . Not to mention that Cornelia hadn't the faintest idea how she had ended up looking _like_ "this" in the _first_ place, nor was none too _blissful_ about it. . . .

"G . . . go _away_, squirt!! I-I just . . . I thought I _saw_ something a-after getting out of the shower!" she lied, shivering in continued fear as she called out from behind herself, furiously wiping at her creamed complexion to clear the white, toothpaste foam away from it.

Well, no, it hadn't been a complete lie, she silently decided to amend for herself, given that she _had_ witnessed something after having left the shower . . . that still remained running, and steadily filling the bathroom full of pure steam.

It just hadn't been anything she could have _ever_ expected.

Not in _this_ lifetime, anyhow.

"_H-Hey!!_ D-Don't you take your scaredy-cat _stupidity_ out on _me_, okay?? _I'm_ not the one who kept _screaming_ her head off, probably over a tiny, little _ant_ or something!!" Lillian shouted back in rising anger against the closed bedroom door, her voice beginning to quiver as a telltale sign that she was on the brink of tears.

For a very, absolutely brief moment, Cornelia couldn't help but to feel a tad ashamed of herself for having obviously hurt the other girl's feelings, especially when she had only been naturally concerned at that moment, rather than her usual mischievous.

However, she swiftly shrugged it off the moment she had taken another look, with oddly sharpened eyes, at the horrific tail peering back at her, realizing that there were _far_ more important things to worry about at that given moment.

"Would you just _scram_, already, you little _brat?? _It's bad enough that I'm running _supremely_ behind schedule this morning! I don't need _your_ nosy little behind _sniffing_ around here to distract me!!" the blue eyed heiress barked towards the door, rolling back onto her stomach and beginning to drag her partially limp body, with great effort, out of the steaming bathroom and back into her bedroom. "Or else, I'll come out there right now, go into your room, and chop off _each_ of the heads to all of your favorite _dollies!!_"

True, the last statement _had_ been a bit much; however, Cornelia was nonetheless pleased to listen that the threat had worked, as Lillian, erupting into tears, fled from the bedroom door without another word. The distressed blonde breathed a sigh of relief (in spite of the fact that she had hurt her younger sibling's feelings, although such an occurrence was not at all foreign), as she was then able to focus upon the task at hand.

But . . . what exactly _was_ that?? It wasn't as though she knew _how_ any of this had happened, and she _certainly_ did not know how to _fix_ it.

Still, she had to try.

"_Ugh_ . . . I feel as heavy as a _whale!_" Cornelia groaned, managing to pull herself into the middle of her bedroom and stopping in front of her full bodied mirror, before giving up in fatigue. She exhaled into the plush carpeted floor to catch her breath, bowing her head a moment, before looking towards the mirror to get a better view of herself.

Somehow, Cornelia had managed to stifle the renewed screams that so desperately wanted to be released from her throat, as her formerly ice blue colored eyes mysteriously shone a drastically haunting, ghost white, with a faint blue ring encircling them. . . .

Even her glossy, shoulder length locks, traditionally sunflower in color, had also followed suit of her eyes, becoming a pure, shocking ivory that trickled down to the middle of her bare, well toned back. Perhaps the most discomfiting to the perplexed, obliviously shallow girl (with the sight of her now _completely_ intimidating eyes as a supremely close second), were the equally white spots that sporadically freckled her peaches and cream visage.

"_Oh!_ M-My _face! _My _perfect_ face!!" Cornelia cried, biting down onto her lower lip in whimpering, as she reached out to touch the mirror's cool, smooth surface for a moment, before doing the same to her now unrecognizable countenance. It was then that she had at last also taken notice of the numerous scales, also silver in color, that were helpfully covering her otherwise naked chest, and even part of her ribcage.

She wanted to faint, she was that appalled by the overall sight.

"_Eww_ . . . what . . . what's _wrong_ with me?? And _why_ me?? This is so totally _disgusting!!_" the newly snow white tressed teenager whispered to her stunned, mimicking reflection, before swiftly looking away and began pulling herself towards her bed. "As . . . as _much_ as it _will_ pain me to do this and let her -- _Anyone_ -- see me like . . . like _this_, I just _have_ to call Elyon! She's . . . _argh_ . . . she's probably the only one _alive_ who might _not_ freak out -- For _long_, anyway -- before helping me figure out how to _fix_ all of this!!"

Feeling great remorse over her most recent resolve, Cornelia nonetheless kept right on dragging herself closer to her unmade bed, in hopes of reaching for the telephone that rested upon the nightstand next to it. Just a quick phone call, and hopefully the _other_ blonde (although Cornelia was she, herself, no longer) would somehow be able to excuse herself from class in order to rush over there to her friend's dire aid.

"Just . . . a little . . . m-more??" Cornelia grunted to herself as she reached the foot of her bed, feeling a bit dazed, as her entire body once more became quite tepid with the previous stirrings of earlier. Before she could neither say nor do anything, she turned her head just in time to witness an overwhelming, although calming, vivid white light bathe her overall form.

A soft gasp slipped past her pink tinted lips, slowly closing her eyes for just a moment, before reopening them in time to see that, somehow, _someway_, the body that she had always known and taken pride within had returned . . . legs, bare, now unshielded breasts and all.

She was _back_.

"_O-Oh!_" was all Cornelia could utter, a brilliant, although confused smile immediately flashing straight across her face. She quickly pulled both of her smooth legs up to her chest and, with a relieved exhale, honestly hugged them for all she was worth.

After another moment of embracing and caressing of her renewed legs, Cornelia released them and scrambled back over to her full length mirror, and let out a delighted squeal to see that the rest of her was back to normal, as well.

"_Yes!_ Praise the Beauty Gods and Goddesses, I'm _back!_" she cried, not realizing the silliness within her words, as she furiously stroked her unmarred face and gently pulled at her lemon tinted hair, before rising to her feet.

She was still within the throws of euphoria, that she hadn't yet caught onto the blatant fact that she was still in the nude however merely grinned with ecstatic prestige once she had.

". . . . I may not have any sort of clue as to what all of that had been before, but I am _so_ happy that it's all _gone_, its ugliness is _never_ coming back, and that my naturally _smokin' hot_ body is returned!" Cornelia smiled with self reassurance and zero modesty. Placing a hand upon her bare hip, the wealthy blonde struck a pose for a moment, before turning away from the mirror and towards her walk in closet to get dressed for class, without so much as another thought upon the previously frightening manner. . . .

* * *

A _very_ sleepy Hay Lin groggily made the trek, like a zombie, across her bedroom floor and towards her own bathroom, eyes only partially open. She could not recall the last time she had ever felt so tired and in dire need of sleep before in her life, prior to the previous night, upon having arrived home after such a strenuous day.

After having gotten dropped off to her house by _Cornelia_, of all people, having had to endure a pretty awkward and tense rest of the ride with her (that she had thankfully, at least, been asleep for the majority of it) after Will had arrived at her own home first, Hay Lin had given herself a steady, silent prayer that her parents would still be at the Silver Dragon, busy with their usual late night clean and lock up for the evening.

Despite it being a pretty usual routine for the pair, it was not uncommon for Mr. and Mrs. Lin to finish up a lot earlier, especially during particularly slow nights, which left one of them free to head on home while the other stayed behind in the meantime.

Thus, for this reason, was precisely why Hay Lin had been especially concerned.

Even though things would have still been busy within the restaurant until closing, it had _also_ been a weekday, which meant that there was a good chance that either her mother _or_ her father would already be home, waiting for her once she'd arrived.

And given that her overall appearance had been nothing short of largely questionable, the artist already knew that she would have _quite_ a lot of explaining to do . . . which was something she had not at all been looking forward to doing.

Thankfully, however, as it would have it, luck had at last been on Hay Lin's side, as she had managed to sneak into the house, undetected, through her window, courtesy of the vinyl lattice that had been erected right below it.

And it had been lucky, still, for her, that Alchemy had had enough sense of mind, within the midst of the ongoing chaos, to leave a message upon the family's answering machine some time during the course of the evening, stating that Hay Lin was still within _her_ company, working upon their homework at the library.

The ebony tressed girl couldn't help but become overwhelmed with a pelter of positive emotion toward her dear friend, as she'd listened to the message after having heard the machine's beeping echoing within the hallway and throughout the empty, dark house while climbing into her bedroom.

Even throughout the other girl's undoubted turmoil, worrying about the talented girl's whereabouts and whether or not she was safe, Alchemy had nonetheless managed to go on ahead and cover for her, lest her parents become any _more_ wracked with upset and concern than they'd been already that day for their only daughter.

This made Hay Lin both honored, yet guilty to have such a wonderful, caring person as her companion, because while she would have done the very same for the copper haired girl without question, she also knew that, despite everything, she still might not be able to ever reveal exactly _why_ she had been vanished for so long.

It had been her consistent thought, during her thorough shower and careful disposal of her completely tattered clothing, in addition to while she'd picked up the telephone inside of the kitchen downstairs to call the girl back.

It honestly wasn't as though Hay Lin did not _want_ to tell Alchemy every last, painstaking detail; it was merely a question of whether or not she _should_ -- Or, moreover, if she had any sort of _right_ to do so. As strange as it was to think, primarily due to the fact that she owed neither Cornelia nor even Will (well, _specifically_ not Cornelia, perhaps) anything to keep her mouth shut, oddly enough, she still felt as though she should.

_After all, it didn't __just__ happen to __only__ me. It happened to all __three__ of us. What if they never tell __anyone__ about it, but then __I__ go blabbing away to Alchemy or others? _Hay Lin had distractedly thought, while gently punching in the appropriate seven digit phone number to her friend's cellphone. _I mean, not as though anyone would honestly __believe__ me so much, me being the "outsider freak" and all, but still. . . . I don't know why, but it just feels like this should be forever kept secret. . . ._

And so, with a slightly conflicted heart, Hay Lin had kept silent about the bizarre, aquatic event as she began to speak to a _very_ disconcerted, although quite relieved sounding Alchemy once she had swiftly picked up the phone. It did not feel very pleasant to have lied to her friend for the very first time within their still budding companionship, as she had instead quickly made up a vaguely believable excuse on the fly . . . _nor_ had it been very _comforting_, listening in as Alchemy had apparently bought into it.

"Oh, I'm _telling_ you, Lin! You have _no_ idea how freaking _worried_ I was about you all night!" she had gushed into the receiver, in between fits of nervous laughter and heavy, alleviated exhales. "I mean, it wasn't as though I could have called up your cellphone, since that _creep_ had stolen it, and I obviously don't know _Will's_ number, either -- Although, stupid _me_, I should have _gotten_ it from her before letting her go off after you this afternoon, herself. _Anyway_, I'm just _really_ glad to hear that she found you, after all, and ended up calming you down the rest of the afternoon and evening, apparently. . . .

And I'm _also_ pretty happy to know that my folks are quite trusting and buy into pretty much anything I tell them . . . _such_ as telling them that you and I were going to go study at the library to help take your mind off of everything that had happened with the mugging. It kinda sucked, though, to have actually had to hang around there for _real,_ until it was safe -- And _believable --_ to head back home after I was unable to find you, myself. I only wish that I _could_ have, _and_ helped you out, as well . . . but I'm still _super_ glad to know that you're safe, Lin, seriously. . . ."

As though Hay Lin had _needed_ any further assistance in feeling censurable for her lie of omission, having listened to Alchemy confess her overall concern for her had made it all the _more_ unbearable, to the point where Hay Lin had had to excuse herself right then and there, citing fatigue as the culprit (which _that_, at least, had not been a complete untruth, given the rigorous day she had experienced).

_It certainly isn't going to be easy to face Al for the next couple of days or so without feeling conflicted, but I'm nonetheless going to try_, Hay Lin had remembered reflecting upon right before she had fallen asleep that night, about half an hour before both of her parents had arrived home together and being none the wiser to the recent goings on within their daughter's life.

However, with today being a new day and the one prior to it being a a thankful thing of the past, Hay Lin was now determined to keep as upbeat an attitude as possible, as well as not allow herself to continually both mentally and emotionally beat herself up over it.

_Especially not since it seems like I might have made a new friend out of the entire ordeal_, she mused with a soft, although lopsided and sleepy smile as she entered her bathroom, thinking about the new, _other_ redhead in her life, who had bravely saved both hers and Cornelia's lives not more than half a day ago. _At least, I kind of hope I have, anyway. . . ._

With a deep, extended yawn, the almond eyed, blossoming beauty lazily reached out to turn on the faucet of her sink in order to wash away the continued sleep from her face. Pulling up the stopper and allowing the gradually lukewarm water to run freely and fill up the basin, Hay Lin, in the meanwhile, opened up her mirror cabinet to retrieve her facial scrub cleanser that smelled distinctly of apricots.

Setting it down onto the sink, softly yawning once more, the saffron hued teenager reached up to tie her long, currently loose and quite disheveled, sable tinted locks with one of the various scrunchies she would sometimes leave lying upon the plumbing fixture, as well.

"There," she softly murmured to herself with a small, but growing grin of optimism, as she gazed back at her otherwise chaotic reflection within the mirror, feeling surprised yet relieved that she was actually able to feel so calm at all, let alone positive, and for the first time in a _very_ long while since having returned back to Heatherfield.

_Maybe it's the start of something new_, Hay Lin idly thought with another smile, feeling as though the moment that she began to scrub at her face and wash away her sleepiness, so too would she be symbolically washing away all of her past troubles and concerns up until that moment. . . .

Turning off the faucet and bending over the sink, Hay Lin closed her eyes as she blindly reached forward with cupped hands, into the comfortable temperature of the clear liquid, before bringing them up to moisten her visage.

After only beginning to enjoy the welcoming, familiar sensation of water droplets tickling at and caressing the many small hairs upon her face for a few moments, Hay Lin curiously also began to feel yet another stimulus she was not at all acquainted with.

"What. . . .?" she began, straightening her posture and slowly opening her eyes to see them reflecting blatant befuddlement within the mirror before her. An odd sort of tickling began to creep over her, originating within the very pit of her stomach, before completely canvasing itself across her entire body within a strangely comfortable warmth.

And then, without warning, Hay Lin's deep brown eyes widened in profound perplexity, as both they and her traditionally black hair inexplicably transitioned into a brilliant, spectral hue of alice blue. She opened her mouth to let out a scream; however, no sound would emerge, as she helplessly watched her overall form become easily engulfed within a pillar of water, that had eerily manifested itself, somehow, out of thin air.

Hay Lin immediately began to close her previously agape mouth in an automatic response, terribly dumbfounded as to what was currently transpiring, in addition to why her body suddenly felt as loose as a bowl full of Jell-O. . . .

In an instant, it was all over, the mysterious torrent of water having vanished without a trace and leaving an overwhelmingly befuddled, once more corporeal feeling girl within its wake.

"W-What . . . what was _that??_ What's happened to my hair and fa -- _W-Whoa!!_" Hay Lin, having recovered from the initial shock long enough to find her voice once again, began to speak to herself in confusion and still peering intensely at her newfound appearance and facial markings . . . when she suddenly found herself unavoidably losing her balance and toppled over onto the cool bathroom floor with a vaguely loud thud.

"Oww. . . ." she moaned within instant, although thankfully only slight pain, as she now lay upon the floor on her side, blindly reaching down to rub at her lightly throbbing bottom . . . and let out a sharp cry of both fear and revulsion at what she felt.

Instead of caressing the inviting softness of her purple colored, cotton-made pajama bottoms, Hay Lin's fingertips were intimidatingly met with a congealed and smooth, yet simultaneously rippled surface. Slowly looking down and bracing herself, as she was quite fearful at what she might unfathomably find either growing or having attached itself to her legs (which she curiously could no longer feel, making her all the more afraid that she might somehow now be paralyzed), the stunned artist's soft colored eyes immediately widened in utter surprise at what they saw.

There, in place of pajama covered legs, was a rather large, rather _long_ tail, rich within its silvery color and glinting within the lights of her bathroom. . . .

Hay Lin felt herself instantly beginning to hyperventilate a bit at the sight, while managing to awkwardly roll flat onto her back, resting her head against the bathtub behind her.

What was going on?? Was this honestly for _real_, or was it perhaps merely an unwanted dream of sorts? Maybe this was just a delayed reaction to the stress of everything that had happened to her yesterday, and the shock was just finally catching up to her.

Yes, that was _exactly_ right.

It _had_ to be.

Right now, Hay Lin's mind was willing to believe anything, _anything_ that could help calm her jittery nerves and grant her mind renewed sanity over the current situation . . . _specifically_ the fact that she now somehow currently resembled . . . that she almost looked like. . . .

"A . . . a _mermaid_," she shakily whispered to herself, her statement sounding like a question more than anything else, and rightfully so, as she honestly hadn't the foggiest idea how nor _why_ this could be possible.

Being the creative individual that she was, Hay Lin was used to drawing various mythological creatures throughout the years, mermaids included. However, as elegant and enchanting as they had always seemed to her, never for a moment had she ever believed them to be real, once existing within the very same world she occupied.

And yet, suddenly, there _she_ was, lying helplessly upon the bathroom floor and looking like a fisherman's dream, with her _very_ powerful looking tail laid out before her, and her bare chest. . . .

_Wait_ a minute! _Bare chest??_

Hay Lin had been too preoccupied, and understandably so, with her new "legs" for that entire time, that she hadn't yet realized that the _rest_ of her clothing had vanished, as well. That is, not until the cool breeze from her open bathroom window from behind her gently caressed the back of her neck, before maneuvering to settle upon her unprotected chest.

Well, that was not entirely true, as the young teenager had peered down to take further notice, seeing that the same scales that comprised the entire span of her glorious tail, also discreetly concealed both of her breasts, in addition to a few stray ones that trailed along the sides of her ribcage.

"_Ohhh_, wow . . . this is just . . . _too_ weird," Hay Lin muttered to herself with flushed cheeks of embarrassment, her breathing, for the most part, recovered, although her insides still churned with discomfort. She slowly raised a hand to brush away a few strands of her now alice blue colored hair, that trickled all the way down to the middle part of her tail (ostensibly where her shins would be, Hay Lin surmised; that is, if she still _had_ any) as it became free flowing once more.

This was all _way_ too surreal.

She had to do something, _anything_. Freely moving about was no longer the easy task it had always been when she still had her legs -- Was still _human_, so getting out of the bathroom was out. But she couldn't very well _lie_ there, propped up against her bathtub forever, either.

So long as Hay Lin remained calm . . . well, as calm as the situation allowed, anyhow, she would be able to figure out a way to get help.

Or, so she _hoped_, at least.

As beneficial and welcoming as their assistance would have been right about now, the newly transformed mermaid was profoundly relieved that both of her parents were always already at work by this time. The last thing she needed was for them to be just as frazzled and afraid as _she_ was -- Perhaps, even of _her_, while she'd most likely fail miserably in trying to explain to them how it had happened in the first place.

No. No, having a parental unit present, nor calling them over the telephone (if she could have even reached it, anyway) was _definitely_ out of the question.

_But . . . maybe __Alchemy__. . . . _Hay Lin thought a moment of the newfound idea, before allowing it to trail off and immediately dismissed it. Involving her one, and so far _only_ friend within such a disaster as this would be _just_ as catastrophic if she _did_ bring her parents into it.

Although close, there would be no conceivable way that the russet haired girl could or _would_ ever understand the artist's baffling metamorphosis, nor _accept_ it, of that she was certain.

"How _could_ she, when even I, _myself_, really don't??" Hay Lin heaved a frustrated sigh, feeling herself becoming increasingly hopeless, as she swiftly began to run out of options. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, gently thumping her light colored head against the back of the porcelain bathtub repeatedly. ". . . . What do I do, _now??_"

The only response offered to her just then, was the soft, whispered howl of the cloudy and brisk, early morning wind outside, as another gentle gust helped itself into the bathroom once more and again swirled itself around Hay Lin's entire body.

She felt herself shiver slightly at the sensation, reaching up to wrap her arms around herself in added warmth . . . before it suddenly began to spread throughout the rest of her body, as the same kinetic vibrations from earlier began to overtake her yet again.

Hay Lin, at once, opened her eyes, and gasped in affect at the sight of her scale covered body becoming entirely consumed within a powerful illumination of alice blue, much like her hair and eyes . . . and within mere seconds, the light was gone within a flash of fading sparkles.

However, in its place, and much to her utter surprise, were Hay Lin's purple colored pajamas, and, better still, her _legs_.

"Oh, my _gosh!_" she cried out in disbelief, hesitating a moment, before then immediately bouncing to her returned feet and rushing to her cabinet mirror. As she had been hoping for, both her natural eye and hair color had been restored . . . even the tiny scrunchy that had been holding her apparently length renewed locks at bay from her once again normal visage.

Hay Lin let out a relieved squeal, furiously patting both at her face and hair at the same time, before gazing appreciatively down at her legs once more, wiggling her bare toes for emphasis.

"Thank you, _Lord!_" was all she could manage, before giggling uncontrollably, almost within delirium, as she swiftly rushed out of the bathroom to change into her school clothes. She didn't even bother to brush her teeth or wash up, she was too emotional right then.

Although Hay Lin was still unsure of what had just occurred, not even particularly certain that it really had at all, she was at _least_ sure that she did not wish to stick around the vicinity to tempt fate.

And none of that, for the moment, really mattered.

Because, the only thing left upon her mind, and strangely so, was the strong compelling to hurry on over to school, in order to locate and then divulge her latest adventure to a certain, newly trustworthy redhead. . . .

**-- End of Chapter Seven**

**

* * *

(A.N. THANK YOU, LORD, INDEED!! I have DONE it!! Mwa ha haaaa... Sorry, just so VERY happy this chapter's FINISHED, I've finished being LAZY and finally buckled down to edit all seventeen blasted pages, AND that I never, ever, EVER have to super super describe both the girls' tails or transformations like that again! SALVATION!! LoL**

**So, there it is! I'm not SUPER happy with it, but I'm not terribly disappointed, either, after my slight revisions. Forgive me if some parts seemed more descriptive or in depth than others, because I didn't want to become TOO redundant. I mean, seriously. How many times, in one chapter, CAN you describe the same damned transformation to three different chicks, without it becoming too old, or running out of good, not yet used words?? LoL But I'd done it, damn it. Woo! LoL**

**Now, before you get confuzzled, though I had placed each scene within that specific order on purpose, with Will's being the most descriptive and longest on purpose – And thus, first up – each occurrence was happening at different times for them. Will's had happened first, purely because she always wakes up the earliest each day due to her swimming before class; Hay Lin's had happened a little while after that; and then, lastly, Cornelia's, since she had woken up mighty late for class. And so, think of Will and Hay Lin having already made it to school and in class by the time Cornelia's still at home, freaking out of her "icky-sticky" tail. LoL**

**I'd also tried to set different sort of emotional tones for each girl, despite the same happening, which I hope most of you could easily notice/understand. Will's being the natural disbelief and even a bit of anger/resentment; Hay Lin's being slight denial and worry; and Cornelia's having been the most fearful/freaked out – And most humorous, I'd also purposefully done, for your enjoyment.**

**Oh, and yes, I WAS referring to Princess Ariel of "The Little Mermaid" when Taranee was teasing Will about looking like her now. LoL Mainly because she/that's my ultimate fave Disney character/movie, as well. HeHe**

**So...yep! Chapter seven, everybody! LoL Remember to check out the links to each girl's mermaid look in my profile, if you'd like! Lata, 'gatas – I'm STARVING! LoL)**


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